Magnesium telluride has the molecular formula of
MgTe and the molecular weight of 151.9146 g/mol. It
can be prepared by heating the elements together in an
inert atmosphere:
Mg+ Te+ heat ? MgTe
Te melts at 450°C and Mg melts at 650°C. A heating
temperature of 750°C is sufficient to cause complete
reaction.MgTe powder can also be prepared by reaction
of stoichiometric quantities of Mg and Te in a pure
graphite crucible in vacuum at 480°C during 48 h.
MgTe single crystals were grown by vacuum sublimation
in a two-zone furnace at a sublimation temperature
of 960°C. The crystals are transparent hexagonal
columns with a length up to 12 mm and extremely
hygroscopic. They have a high index of refraction. The
lattice parameters are: a=4,5303 ? , c=7.4056? and the band gap, Eg= 3.49 eV. MgTe is a direct gap semiconductor.
It tends toward p-type conductivity and
very high concentrations above 1021 have been
achieved.
