Modeling studies of PVT growth of ZnSe: current status and future course

Results from a numerical modeling study of ZnSe crystal growth by physical vapor transport (PVT) are reported in this paper. The influence of a residu al gas is included in the two-dimensional model. The simulations show that the Stefan flux dominates the system and the subtle gravitational effects c an be gauged by subtracting this flux from the calculated flow fields. Shea r flows, due to solutal buoyancy, of the order of 50 mu m/s for the horizon tal growth orientation and 10 mu m/s for the vertical orientation are predi cted adjacent to the growing crystal. Whether these flows can fully account for the observed gravity-related growth morphological effects and inhomoge neous solute and dopant distributions is a matter of conjecture. A template for future modeling efforts in this area is suggested which incorporates a mathematical approach to the tracking of the growth front based on energy of formation concepts. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.