Narrow shape distribution of Te inclusions in ZnTe single crystals grown from Te solution

The shape and distribution of Te inclusions in ZnTe crystals grown from Te solution were studied. Polyhedron type Te inclusions were mainly observed. The relative size of the facets bounding the polyhedron Te inclusions is found very sensitive to the local crystalline quality of the matrix, which in turn determines the shape and distribution of Te inclusions. However, on the macroscopic perspective, the overall three-dimensional (3D) shape of polyhedron Te inclusions “focuses on” a truncated octahedron (tetradecahedron) bounded by {100}, and {111}Te&Zn planes, which is different from the reported results, when only tetrahedron Te inclusions with {111}Te/Zn facets were found. Te inclusions in ZnTe matrix exhibit a much narrower shape distribution than do in CdZnTe, where both truncated octahedron and tetrahedron shape Te inclusions coexist. This shape distribution phenomenon was discussed for the first time based on the growth rate dispersion (GRD) theory, which leads us to believe that, the defect density and stress in the matrix may be important factors affecting the shape distribution.