Experiments of solidification and melting of semiconductor crystal under reduced gravity using drop tower

摘要

The solidification and melting processes of some antimonide based III-V compound semiconductors were in-situ observed under microgravity using a drop facility and under 1 g condition. During cooling of In-Ga-Sb molten solotion, In{sub}xGa{sub}(1-x)Sb solidified in the form of projections. The shapes of the projections were almost spherical under microgravity, hot they were semispherical under 1 g. The In composition varied with the time of solidification. The melting velocities of InSb and GaSb under miceogravity condition were found to be faster then those that under 1 g condition. This could be doe to the difference of convective forces under these gravity conditions.