Preparation and Study of High Purity Boron-Group Five Compounds.

Abstract : The report summarizes the results of a twenty month study of various compounds of boron with the group five elements phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony. Methods of preparation of high purity boron phosphide, boron subphosphide, and boron subarsenide were used to produce these compounds for further study, while boron arsenide was produced only as a mixture with large amounts of boron, assumed to be free or unreacted. X-ray studies of boron phosphide and boron arsenide were performed to determine if and to what degree the compounds produced in this study exhibited the ideal ordered zincblende structure. The results for boron arsenide show closer agreement with theoretical predictions than previous studies. Dense compacts of vapor deposited boron phosphide were formed as samples for window material studies. A feasibility study of the preparation of boron antimonide in 100 gram quantities determined that such a process is apparently not feasible. (Modified author abstract)