Abstract
Metastable single crystals of nonstoichiometric Pb1-xTe are obtained by rapid cooling from the melt. The composition and crystallographic morphology are studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and electron backscatter diffraction. Most single crystals have cubic, pyramidal, or hemispherical shapes with sizes ranging from 50 to 400 mu m. All crystals adopt the same face-centered cubic rock salt structure, and the crystal growth direction is <100 >. The bulk part of the rapidly cooled material solidifies in the form of a Te-rich polycrystalline material in which grains are separated by the PbTe-Te eutectic phase. The stabilization of nonstoichiometric Pb1-xTe provides further scope for the optimization of lead telluride-based thermoelectric materials.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 6241-6248 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 10-Feb-2021 |
Keywords
- lead telluride
- thermoelectrics
- nanostructures
- single crystals
- electron backscatter diffraction