Reduction of Te-rich phases in Cd1-xZnxTe (x=0.04) crystals

Cd1-xZnxTe crystals are annealed in Cd/Zn vapours to eliminate Te-rich phases. During the saturated Zn partial pressure annealing and the high-temperature annealing under low PZn, large Te-rich phases gather at the slice surface through thermo-migration. This process increased the stress in the bulk crystals and caused the formation of defects such as twins, stacking faults, and dislocations. The IR transmission is greatly improved by annealing the slices under saturated PZn and then removing a layer from the surface of the slices with a thickness of about 50μm. For Cd1-xZnxTe slices annealed at low temperature and low Zn partial pressure, the reduction of the Te-rich phases greatly depends on the diffusion of the atomic defects