Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol.249, No.2, 471-475, 2002
Effects of antimony on the surface tension of molten silicon
The effect of antimony concentration (C-Sb/mass%) on the surface tension of molten silicon has been determined with the sessile drop method in the temperature range from 1693 to 1773 K and in the range of the oxygen partial pressure, PO2, in an Ar atmosphere from 10(-23) to 10(-21) MPa. The results show that the surface tension of molten silicon decreases with increasing Sb concentration in the range Of C-Sb < 0.9 mass%, which indicates positive adsorption of Sb in molten silicon and can be fairly described with the Szyszkowski's equation. The maximum decrease rate of surface tension is about 65 mN m(-1) (mass% C-Sb)(-1), and the temperature coefficient of surface tension, (partial derivativesigma/partial derivativeT)C-Sb, increases with increasing C-Sb. The evaporation of the systems was only observed between the melting points of antimony (904 K) and silicon (1683 K), and the surface tension presents no dependence on measuring time above the melting point of silicon.