Evaluation of the solid/liquid interface undercooling during Sn-Se Eutectic growth

The Sn-Se eutectic solidification allows one to obtain a lamellar structure, formed by SnSe and SnSe2 compounds, which are p and n semiconducting types, respectively. The SnSe-SnSe2 eutectic composite is a promising material to be used in photovoltaic device manufacturing. In a lamellar eutectic microstructure, the main parameter, which governs many of its characteristics, is the lamellar spacing. Such a parameter is primarily a result of the undercooling at the solid/liquid interface, which depends on the growth rate and the eutectic system properties. In this work, the Sn-Se alloy corresponding to eutectic composition was studied by using DSC thermal analysis and directional solidification at several growth rates in a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger unit. The objective of the experiments was to investigate the influence of the growth rate on the growth undercooling, as well as on the eutectic microstructure. The microstructure analysis showed that a very regular and aligned structure formed by the SnSe and SnSe2 solid phases can be produced. By using the classic eutectic growth theory developed by Jackson and Hunt, the experimental results obtained led to the evaluation of a relationship among growth rates, eutectic growth temperature and lamellar spacing.