Spherulitic crystallization of β‐In₂Te₃ by physical vapour deposition

Abstract

Abstract Different morphologies of indium telluride (In 2 Te 3 ) including novel spherulites were crystallized using the physical vapour deposition (PVD) method, by varying the difference in the growth and source zone temperature (Δ T ) of a dual zone horizontal furnace assembled indigenously. Whiskers and kinked needles of In 2 Te 3 were grown at Δ T = 250 K and 300 K respectively, maintaining the growth zone at 500 °C. At high supersaturation ( Δ T = 400 K), spherulitic crystals were obtained. The stoichiometric composition of these crystals has been confirmed using energy dispersive analysis by x‐rays (EDAX). The structure of β‐In 2 Te 3 spherulitic crystals is identified as zinc blende with lattice parameter a = 6.159 Å, from x‐ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed the radial structure of the grown spherulites. The growth mechanism for the spherulitic crystallization of β‐In 2 Te 3 crystals has been discussed based on the theoretical models. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)