Heat treatment method of ZnTe single crystal substrate and ZnTe single crystal substrate
View Patent ↗The present invention is to provide a heat treatment method for effectively eliminating Te deposits in a ZnTe single crystal substrate, and a ZnTe single crystal substrate having an optical characteristic suitable for use of a light modulation element and having a thickness of 1 mm or more. A heat treatment method of a ZnTe single crystal substrate, includes: a first step of increasing a temperature the ZnTe single crystal substrate to a first heat treatment temperature T 1 , and retaining the temperature of the substrate for a predetermined time; and a second step of gradually reducing the temperature of the substrate from the first heat treatment temperature T 1 to a second heat treatment temperature T 2 lower than the heat treatment temperature T 1 with a predetermined rate, wherein the first heat treatment temperature T 1 is set in a range of 700° C.≦T 1 ≦1250° C. and the second heat treatment temperature T 2 is set in a range of T 2 ≦T 1 −50.
1. A heat treatment method of a ZnTe single crystal substrate, comprising:
a first step of increasing a temperature the ZnTe single crystal substrate to a first heat treatment temperature T 1 , and retaining the temperature of the substrate for a predetermined time; and
a second step of gradually reducing the temperature of the substrate from the first heat treatment temperature T 1 to a second heat treatment temperature T 2 lower than the heat treatment temperature T 1 with a predetermined rate,
wherein the first heat treatment temperature T 1 is set in a range of 750° C.≦T 1 ≦1250° C. and the second heat treatment temperature T 2 is set in a range of T 2 ≦T 1 −50,
wherein in a Zn atmosphere of at least 1 kPa or more, a heat treatment including the first and second steps is performed not less than 40 cycles and for not less than 216 hours, and
wherein the ZnTe single crystal substrate has a thickness of 1.5 mm or more.
2. The heat treatment method of the ZnTe single crystal substrate as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the ZnTe single crystal substrate has a transmission of 50% or more to a beam having a wavelength of 700 nm to 1500 nm.
3. A heat treatment method of a ZnTe single crystal substrate, comprising:
a first step of increasing a temperature of the ZnTe single crystal substrate to a first heat treatment temperature T 1 , and retaining the temperature of the substrate for a predetermined time; and
a second step of gradually reducing the temperature of the substrate from the first heat treatment temperature T 1 to a second heat treatment temperature T 2 lower than the heat treatment temperature T 1 with a predetermined rate,
wherein the first heat treatment temperature T 1 is set in a range of 850° C.≦T 1 ≦1250° C. and the second heat treatment temperature T 2 is set in a range of T 2 ≦T 1 −50,
wherein in a Zn atmosphere of at least 1 kPa or more, a heat treatment including the first and second steps is performed not less than 10 cycles and for not less than 54 hours, and
wherein the ZnTe single crystal substrate has a thickness of 1.5 mm or more.
4. The heat treatment method of the ZnTe single crystal substrate as claimed in claim 3 , wherein:
the ZnTe single crystal substrate has a transmission of 50% or more to a beam having a wavelength of 700 nm to 1500 nm.