Review of a research of PBN Crucible in a Multi-Zone Vertical Bridgman Furnace
Introduction
The growth of Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) crystals is investigated in the study paper "Crystal Growth of CdTe in a Multi-Zone Vertical Bridgman Furnace with a PBN Crucible" by Kazuhito Yasuda. The MZVBF and pyrolytic boron nitride (PBN) crucibles are the tools used in this process. This work explores the benefits of employing PBN crucibles over quartz crucibles and attempts to address issues related to CdTe crystal formation. It also emphasizes the importance and uses of CdTe as a semiconductor material.
A PBN Crucible
Importance and Applications of CdTe
CdTe and CdZnTe(CZT) are highly important semiconductor material due to its unique properties, making it valuable for various applications. Some key reasons for conducting research on CdTe crystal growth include:
Photovoltaics: The production of thin-film solar cells frequently makes use of CdTe with sputtering technique. Due to their high power conversion efficiencies and affordability, CdTe-based solar cells are a potential technology for the production of renewable energy.
Radiation Detection: CdTe is a great material for nuclear power plants, security systems, and medical imaging that uses gamma-ray detection. Due to its broad bandgap and high atomic number, it can be effectively used for ionizing radiation detection.
X-ray Imaging: Because of their excellent sensitivity to X-ray photons and great spatial resolution, CdTe detectors are used in both industrial and medical X-ray imaging.
Overcoming Challenges and the Role of PBN Crucibles
There are a number of obstacles to CdTe crystal development, including material contamination and undesired defect creation. These issues are addressed in Kazuhito Yasuda's research by using PBN crucibles and a Multi-Zone Vertical Bridgman Furnace (MZVBF).
PBN crucibles are important to our study for a number of reasons.
Better Purity: PBN crucibles are very chemically inert, therefore there is less contact between the crucible and the CdTe melt. As a result, there is a lower chance of impurity incorporation, increasing crystal purity.
Decreased Contamination: PBN crucibles show noticeably lower levels of contamination than quartz crucibles. Silicon (Si) and other impurities from the crucible material may be introduced by quartz crucibles, which may have a detrimental effect on the quality of the crystal. Because PBN crucibles are made of boron nitride, they reduce contamination and guarantee that the CdTe crystals are purer.
Thermal Stability: During the crystal development process, PBN crucibles exhibit exceptional thermal stability, retaining their structural integrity even at elevated temperatures. For consistent and controlled crystal formation to provide repeatable results, this stability is essential.
Comparison with Quartz Crucibles:
The study by Kazuhito Yasuda investigates the benefits of CdTe crystal formation in PBN crucibles as opposed to quartz crucibles. Despite being frequently employed in crystal development, quartz crucibles might introduce impurities because of their nature. Their increased reactivity with the melt of CdTe may cause contamination and reduce the quality of the crystal.
PBN crucibles, on the other hand, provide better resistance against CdTe chemical processes, which lowers contamination and improves crystal clarity. The MZVBF method enables the growth of superior CdTe crystals with decreased flaws and improved structural integrity thanks to the use of PBN crucibles.
Conclusion
The challenges of CdTe crystal growth are addressed in Kazuhito Yasuda's research on the use of a Multi-Zone Vertical Bridgman Furnace with a PBN crucible. It also emphasizes the importance of CdTe in a variety of applications. The applications of CdTe in radiation detection, X-ray imaging, and photovoltaics highlight the need for improvements in crystal growth methods.
The utilization of high performanced PBN crucibles offers several advantages, including enhanced purity, reduced contamination, and superior thermal stability. The study illustrates the advantages of adopting PBN crucibles to maximize crystal quality and reduce impurity incorporation by contrasting them with quartz crucibles. By producing high-performance CdTe crystals, this research advances the use of these materials in radiation sensing and renewable energy applications.