Crystal Growth of Boron Monophosphide from Cu-Fluxed Melt

The optimum conditions for the crystal growth of boron monophosphide (BP) by using Cu-fluxed melt were determined in detail, and it was found that BP crystals were grown mainly by means of the temperature gradient produced by a furnace. The maximum size of the crystals thus grown was 4×3×0.2 mm3. Also, BP crystals were successfully grown on a seed BP crystal placed at a low temperature region of the Cu-melt. The crystals grown from the Cu-fluxed melt were always n-type in contrast to the fact that the crystals grown from the Ni-fluxed melt were always p-type. Photoluminescence spectra observed in the crystals grown from the Cu-fluxed melt had essentially the same feature as those observed in the crystals grown from the Ni-fluxed melt. The emission bands shown in these spectra were concluded to be due to some impurity atoms other than Cu and Ni.