The Influence of Microgravity on the Growth of GaSb Crystals

Bridgman method was applied, for growing a GaSb crystal under Micro-gravity condition (MG), on the cosmic orbital station Mir during the cosmic Syrian-Soviet flight. The mentioned experiment was called Aphamia and was carried out using furnace Crystal. The same experiment was simultaneously carried out at laboratory condition in order to compare obtained crystals and to determine the influence of MG on the growth of GaSb crystal. During this experiment the growth of GaSb crystal with a given conductivity under Earth and MG conditions was performed. The crystal structure, impurity distribution and electro-physical properties of GaSb, were investigated. A comparison with available data in literature is also provided.