ZnSe single crystals doped via Co diffusion were investigated. The diffusion was carried out from metal Co in He or Ar atmosphere. The spectra of optical density in the wavelength range of 0.4 to 2μm were investigated. It was found that the absorption edge shifts as the concentration of doping impurities increases. This shift was caused by the formation of the Zn1-xCoxSe alloy. The diffusion profile of the Co dopant was determined via measurement of the relative optical density of the crystals in the visible spectral region. The Co diffusivities (D) in the ZnSe crystals at 1103 to 1273K were calculated. Analysis of the temperature dependence yielded the Arrhenius equation:

D (cm2/s) = 3.4 x 106 exp[-3.8(eV)/kT]

Preparation and Optical Properties of Co-Doped ZnSe Single Crystals. Y.F.Vaksman, V.V.Pavlov, Y.A.Nitsuk, Y.N.Purtov, A.S.Nasibov, P.V.Shapkin: Semiconductors, 2006, 40[7], 794-7