Contact materials for III–V semiconductors: phase equilibria of InSb in the ternary system In–Ni–Sb

The In–Ni–Sb phase diagram was investigated in the compositional region of the compound semiconductor InSb. The phase equilibria were established in two isothermal sections at 440 and 300°C, respectively, by means of EPMA and X-ray diffraction. Using DTA experiments, six invariant ternary phase reactions were identified and a complete reaction scheme was constructed in the respective composition area. The B81-type phase Ni1±xSb and the B82-type ζ-phase in the Ni–In system were found to form a continuous solid solution which was studied in detail at 900°C. The lattice parameters of the ternary phase Ni1±x(SbyIn1−y) (ζ-phase) were determined as a function of composition along a section connecting the two binary melting point maxima.