METHOD FOR SYNTHESIZING SINGLE CRYSTAL MATERIAL UTILIZING SOLIDIFICATION WITH SUPERCOOLING IN MICROGRAVITY ENVIRONMENT

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for simply synthesizing a single crystal by rapidly cooling a melt in a supercooled state of a metal, metalloid or semiconductor at a specified temp. lowering rate or higher to subject the melt to unidirectional solidification. ;SOLUTION: In this method, a raw material used is a material of metal, metalloid or semiconductor, each of which normally has a ≤100°C, or preferably, ≥150°C melting point. As the material, a material having a ≥5°C, or preferably, ≥10°C temp. difference (T_m-T_s) between the melting point (T_m) and the maximum supercooling temp. (T_s) is preferably used, wherein the upper limit of the temperature difference (T_m-T_s) is normally about 10°C. Metals that can be used as the material, include both single-elemental metals and alloys. As the alloys, particularly, those whose single crystals have high usefulness, such as In-Sb and Ti-Ni alloys, can preferably be used. This method involves rapidly cooling a melt in a supercooled state of such a material at a ≥100°C/sec cooling rate.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1999,JPO