Journal of Material Sciences & Engineering

Structural Properties and Morphology of the Quaternary Semiconductor AgIn4GaTe8

Abstract

Pérez FV, Gando NJ, Castro JA, Durante Rincón CA, Durán L and Fermin JR

We report on the structural properties and morphology of the quaternary semiconductor AgIn4GaTe8, prepared by direct fusion of stoichiometric mixture of constituent elements. For this, powder X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques were employed. From the XRD patterns we have identify a tetragonal phase together with a secondary orthorhombic phase. A strain/size analysis of the full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) of the diffraction lines, showed an anisotropic microstructure associated to the presence of microstrains, induced by crystallite size variations combined with crystallite dislocations. The SEM measurements reveal a material with very rough surface and faceted grains. The grain size determined from SEM micrographs was larger than the crystallite size obtained from the XRD data.