Association in Melted Semiconductors

Abstract

The melting process of semiconductors has been studied by two techniques. First, the electrical conductivity about the melting point was carefully measured for InSb and Ge. There was no evidence of any hysteresis connected with a two‐stage melting process, or with persistence of rigid, directed bonds in the liquid. The average conductivities obtained were 9.4×10³ and 1.4×10⁴ (Ω cm)⁻¹ for liquid InSb and Ge at their respective melting points. Secondly, dendrites were grown from undercooled Ge, which had been either melted but not heated much above the melting point, or melted, superheated, and finally undercooled. There was no difference in velocities or tip radii among such dendrites, confirming that molten Ge has at all times a simple metallic character.