ACTA

Fabrication and Physical Properties of SiC-GaAs Nano-Composites

G. Kalisz^a, E. Grzanka^a, D. Wasik^b, A. Świderska-Środa^a, S. Gierlotka^a, J. Borysiuk^a, M. Kamińska^b, A. Twardowski^b and B. Pałosz^a
^aInstitute of High Pressure Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sokołowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
^bInstitute of Experimental Physics, Warsaw University, Warsaw, Poland

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Received: 4 06 2005;

Nano-composites consisting of primary phase of hard nanocrystalline SiC matrix and the secondary nanocrystalline semiconductor (GaAs) phase were obtained by high-pressure zone infiltration. The synthesis process occurs in three stages: (i) at room temperature the nanopowder of SiC is compacted along with GaAs under high pressure up to 8 GPa, (ii) the temperature is increased above the melting point of GaAs up to 1600 K and, the pores are being filled with liquid, (iii) upon cooling GaAs nanocrystallites grow in the pores. Synthesis of nano-composites was performed using a toroid-type high-pressure apparatus (IHPP of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw) and six-anvil cubic press (MAX-80 at HASYLAB, Hamburg). X-ray diffraction studies were performed using a laboratory D5000 Siemens diffractometer. Phase composition, grain size, and macrostrains present in the synthesized materials were examined. Microstructure of the composites was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Far-infrared reflectivity measurements were used to determine built-in strain.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.108.717
PACS numbers:81.07.-b, 07.35.+k