Silicon phosphide

Two silicon phosphides have been characterised, namely SiP and SiPj. They are both hard, high-melting-point materials, and inert in the absence of oxidising conditions (although the latter have not been precisely defined) [1-3]. 

Discrete silicophosphide [SiP4] - anions are difficult to define in some crystal structures, but trigonal planar [SiPs] anions are found in some compounds (Chapter 8.4). Binary silicon phosphides SiP and SiP2 are discussed in Chapter 4.9. 

A schematic of epitaxial growth is shown in Fig. 2.11. As an example, it is possible to grow gallium arsenide epitaxially on silicon since the lattice parameters of the two materials are similar. On the other hand, deposition of indium phosphide on silicon is not possible since the lattice mismatch is 8%, which is too high. A solution is to use an intermediate buffer layer of gallium arsenide between the silicon and the indium phosphide. The lattice parameters of common semiconductor materials are shown in Fig. 2.12. 

Photovoltaic (PV) solar cells, which convert incident solar radiation directly into electrical energy, today represent the most common power source for Earth-orbiting spacecraft, such as the International Space Station, where a photovoltaic engineering testbed (PET) is actually assembled on the express pallet. The solid-state photovoltaics, based on gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, or silicon, prove capable, even if to different extents and with... 

Soft, silver white metal that melts in the hand (29.8 °C) and remains liquid up to 2204 °C (difference 2174 °C, suitable for special thermometers). Gallium is quite widespread, but always in small amounts in admixtures. Its "career" took off with the advent of semiconductors. Ga arsenide and Ga phosphide, which are preferential to silicon in some applications, have extensive uses in microchips, diodes, lasers, and microwaves. The element is found in every mobile phone and computer. Ga nitride (GaN) is used in UV LEDs (ultraviolet light-emitting diodes). In this manner, a curiosity was transformed into a high-tech speciality. 

Ferrosilicon containing 30-75% of silicon is hazardous, particularly when finely divided, and must be kept in a moisture-tight drum. In contact with water, the impurities present (arsenide, carbide, phosphide) evolve extremely poisonous arsine, combustible acetylene and spontaneously flammable phosphine [1 2],... 

Boron (finely divided forms) reacts violently with cone, acid and may attain incandescence. The vapour of phosphorus, heated in nitric acid in presence of air, may ignite. Boron phosphide ignites with the cone, acid [1], Silicon crystallised from its eutectic with aluminium reacts violently with cone, acid [2], arsenic may react violently with the fuming acid, and finely divided carbon similarly with cone, acid [3], Use of cone, acid to clean a stainless steel hose contaminated with phosphorus led to an explosion [4],... 

Various inorganic semiconductors (p-type and/or n-type nonoxide semiconducting materials) sucb as amorphous or crystalline silicon (a-Si or c-Si), gallium arsenide (GaAs), cadmium telluride (CdTe), gallium phosphide (GaP), indium phosphide (InP), copper... 

The thermal conductivity of diamond at 300 K is higher than that of any other material, and its thermal expansion coefficient at 300 K is 0.8 x 10". lower than that of Invar (an Fe-Ni alloy). Diamond is a very widc-band gap semiconductor Eg = 5.5 eV), has a high breakdown voltage (I07V cm-1), and its saturation velocity of 2.7 x I01 cm s-1 is considerably greater than that of silicon, gallium arsenide, or indium phosphide. 

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