Bulk growth of Hg0.8Cd0.2Te single crystals by a combined CVT-seeding technique

The growth of high quality Hg_0.8Cd_0.2Te bulk single crystals by CVT, combined with an in-situ seeding technique, is reported here for the first time. For this purpose, a temperature difference of 590° → 540° C with a gradient of 40°-50° C/cm at the solid-vapor interface, and about 0.1 atm of HgI₂ as a transport agent, were employed. The bulk crystals have the expected stoichiometry and compositional homogeneity. Etch pit densities of 10⁴-10⁵ cm⁻² on the (111) face and hitherto unreported etch pits on the (100) face were observed in this work. Possible origins of the sub-grain structure are discussed.