Quantum Dielectric Theory of Electronegativity in Covalent Systems. III. Pressure-Temperature Phase Diagrams, Heats of Mixing, and Distribution Coefficients

Abstract

Electronegativity difference was redefined in Paper I of this series as a scaling parameter which combines the concepts of valence and size differences. A procedure has been developed for its evaluation in terms of a two-band model. In Paper II of this series it was shown that this model describes and predicts the ionization potentials and electronic interband gaps of binary $A^N{B}^{8-N}$ compounds and their alloys. Here the energy of this model semiconducting-insulating solid is evaluated relative to a free-electron gas, i.e., an idealized metal, as a function of composition, pressure, and temperature. Using this highly simplified scaling approach, we obtain suprisingly accurate predictions for the heat of fusion, melting point, and pressure-temperature phase diagrams of these materials. A revised method of calculating the excess heat of mixing of a substitutional alloy is presented. This calculation is extended to the case of an arbitrary dilute impurity in an arbitrary semiconducting host; the distribution coefficient at the melting point of the host is obtained.