The Young modulus and microhardness anisotropy in (Pb,Cd)Te solid solution crystallizing in the rock salt structure and containing 5% of Cd

A single crystal of (Pb,Cd)Te solid solution with Cd content equal to 5% was grown by self-selecting vapour growth technique and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction using the X'Pert PANalytical diffractometer and Cu K_{α₁} radiation. The X-ray diffraction pattern refinement demonstrated the fcc structure of the rock-salt type of investigated sample, no precipitates or other crystal phases were detected. The sample chemical composition was determined on the basis of measured lattice parameter value. Next, the Young modulus and microhardness were determined by the nanoindentation for carefully prepared, (001), (011) and (111)-oriented single crystal plates. The slight anisotropy of two parameters mentioned above has been found and compared with available literature data.