Institute of Metals Division - Plastic Deformation of Germanium by Alloying

Plastic deformation of the germanium adjacent to the re-growth material has been observed after alloying single crystal germanium with tin. Of several solder alloys investigated, plastic deformution was observed only in the germanium samples in contact with a tin-doped regrowth material. Dislocations were observed to move on a viewed (111) plane following thermal cycling of tin-doped regrowth material on germanium. OBSERVATION of germanium samples to which solder had been fused indicated that plastic deformation, as evidenced by slip arrays of dislocation etch pits, occurred during the fusion of the solder alloy, Figs. 1, 2. The samples had been prepared by placing the solder in contact with the germanium and heating the assembly to approximately 575"C, followed by cooling to room temperature. During this process, the solder first melts, and then as the temperature is further increased, dissolves a portion of the germanium with which it is in contact. During the cooling portion of the thermal cycle, the dissolved germanium is precipitated, and provided