GaSe formation by mechanical alloying Ga50Se50 mixture

Alloying of Ga with Se is observed in elemental Ga:Se = 50:50 mixture upon high-energy ball milling. X-ray diffraction of samples milled in the 1/2 < t < 3 h range displays evidence of hexagonal gallium selenide (GaSe). At longer milling times t > 10 h two wide bands are superimposed on the crystalline pattern, indicating that the main milling product at longer t is an amorphous phase. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that the amorphous phase is a Ga-Se phase and that it grows in concentration with t. Raman scattering provides modes of both amorphous and crystalline GaSe phases. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.