Lattice thermal expansion of CdTe0.9Se0.1 solid solution

A lattice thermal expansion study of cubic CdTe0.9Se0.1 solid solution was carried out by high temperature X-ray powder diffraction technique (HTXRD) from room temperature to 773 K. An analytical least squares method for precise determination of the lattice constant for cubic crystals using a standard reference material as an external standard 20-calibrant was used in this investigation. The best estimated value of the lattice constant (a) for CdTe0.9Se0.1 was determined to be 6.441 (2) Angstrom at 298 K. This value gradually increased to 6.457 (2) Angstrom at 773 K. A similar trend was observed in the unit cell volume, which increased from 267.2(2) Angstrom(3) to 269.3(2) Angstrom(3) as the temperature changed from RT to 773 K. The thermal expansion coefficient was found to be 3.91 x 10(-6) K-1 at 298 K and continuously increased to 9.73 x 10(-6) K-1 at 773 K. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.