Bulk crystal growth of Mg2Si by the vertical Bridgman method

Abstract Mg2Si were grown by the vertical Bridgman (VB) method in crucibles made of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) pyrolytic graphite (PG) in order to minimize the reaction and sticking of molten Mg–Si during growth. Congruent crystallization was derived from a stoichiometric melt of Mg2Si, and incongruent crystallization was derived from nonstoichiometric melts having Mg/Si ratios of 85:15, 70:30 and 60:40. Grown samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron-probe microanalysis, and their power factors were calculated from the Seebeck coefficients and electrical conductivities measured from room temperature to 773 K. The grown crystals were single-crystal-like and had high Seebeck coefficients at the temperatures from 500 to 773 K. A sample derived from a stoichiometric melt had a Seebeck coefficient of −470 μV/K and the highest power factor, 7.8×10−6 W/cm K2 at 373 K, was calculated for the sample derived from a melt with an Mg/Si ratio of 70:30.