Melting and crystallization experiments of InGaSb were done under the reduced gravity condition (10–2G) in an airplane and at the normal gravity condition (1G) in the laboratory. Crystallized InGaSb was found to contain many needle crystals in both the cases. Reduced gravity condition was found to be more conducive for crystal growth than the normal gravity condition. Formation of spherical projections on the surface of InGaSb during its crystallization was in-situ observed using a high speed CCD camera in the drop experiment. Spherical projections showed dependence of gravity during its growth. Indium compositions in the spherical projections were found to vary depending on the temperature.

Melting and crystallization experiments of InGaSb were done under the reduced gravity condition (10−2G) in an airplane and at the normal gravity condition (1G) in the laboratory. Crystallized InGaSb was found to contain many needle crystals in both the cases. Reduced gravity condition was found to be more conducive for crystal growth than the normal gravity condition. Formation of spherical projections on the surface of InGaSb during its crystallization was in-situ observed using a high speed CCD camera in the drop experiment. Spherical projections showed dependence of gravity during its growth. Indium compositions in the spherical projections were found to vary depending on the temperature.

This paper considers the modelling of Liquid Phase Epitaxial (LPE) growth of silicon in a substrate-solution-substrate “sandwich” system. Unsteady two-dimensional numerical simulations which take into account fluid flow and mass transfer are presented for a growth experiment. Except in the initial stages, solutal convection is found to be dominant throughout the process. Convection is, however, mostly confined to the upper half of the growth cell, resulting in growth of a layer on the upper substrate, which is about twice as thick as that on the lower substrate. This result is in good agreement with available experiment data. Another interesting consequence of the convection patterns is the formation of a smooth flat surface on the lower substrate and a wavy irregular one on the upper substrate.