STUDY OF THE BI-SB-TE TERNARY PHASE-DIAGRAM

A study of the Bi-Sb-Te ternary phase diagram is carried out by Differential Scanning Calorimetry measurements to obtain both liquids and solidus temperatures of the Bi2Te3-Sb2Te3 pseudo-binary section. The same technique is used for liquids temperature determination of the tellurium-rich field. The liquid-solid equilibria (tie-lines) are also determined for Bi8Sb32Te60 and Bi10Sb30Te60 solid solutions by an equilibrium annealing technique and for temperatures ranging between 510-degrees-C and the solid solution melting points. All the collected data will be critical for the growth of single crystals well defined from a thermodynamic point of view.