Claims
- 1. A method for preparation of approximately stoichiometric alloys of (Hg, Cd) Te having a preselected proportion of mercury to cadmium, comprising the steps of:
- providing a bulk alloy of mercury, cadmium, and tellurium, said bulk alloy containing an excess of tellurium over said predetermined composition;
- annealing said bulk alloy, at an intermediate temperature which is greater than 350.degree. C. and less than the melting point of said bulk alloy, in a saturated atmosphere of mercury, whereby the composition of said bulk alloy is converted to an intermediate alloy having a smaller excess of tellurium; and subsequently
- annealing said intermediate alloy at a second temperature, said second temperature being less than 325.degree. C., to compositionally adjust said intermediate alloy to achieve a desired carrier concentration.
- 2. The process of claim 1, wherein a bulk recrystallization anneal is performed on an ingot to produce said bulk alloy, and wherein said ingot is sliced into wafers prior to said intermediate-temperature anneal.
- 3. The process of claim 2, wherein said wafers are etched to remove surface damage after said slicing step and prior to said intermediate-temperature anneal step.
- 4. The process of claim 3 wherein said intermediate temperature anneal is performed for at least 4 hours.
- 5. The process of claim 3, wherein said intermediate temperature anneal is performed at a temperature in the neighborhood of 600.degree. C.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 444,903, filed Nov. 29, 1982, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
444903 |
Nov 1982 |
|