Growth of GaSb single crystal in space

The crystal growth under microgravity condition in space has attracted a lo t of attention, for the quality of crystals can be improved under micrograv ity because it creates an environment where nature convection is suppressed and mass transportation is controlled by diffusion. This is a joint work b etween Institute of Physics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Department of Electronics Engineering, the University of Tokyo. A rod of GaSb single crystal doped with Te, whose diameter is 6 mm and length is 30 mm, was grow n in space during the China returnable satellite mission No. 14 in 1992. Th e research results show that there was no striations in the space-grown cry stal part, and furthermore the dislocation density was close to zero in the part where melt was not in contact with quartz wall during the crystal gro wing in the space, but it increased rapidly after the melt was in contact w ith the wall. This paper summarizes the growth and research results of the GaSb crystal in detail, and analyzes the influences of microgravity on crys tal growth and its potential developments in the future.