Oxygen Solubility in Liquid Si–X (X=Sb, B, P and As) Alloys

Oxygen solubilities in liquid Si–X (X=Sb, B, P and As) alloys equilibrated with solid silica (cristobalite) were determined in the temperature range between 1693 and 1823 K. Si–X alloys were melted in a silica crucible with oxygen gas flowing. After the equilibrium between a silicon melt and silica was established, the contents of oxygen and the alloying elements (X) in the silicon melt were determined. It was found that the oxygen solubility increased with increasing alloying element in the melt. The effect of the alloying elements on the oxygen solubility was discussed thermodynamically.