Te and Sn are the primary elements for thermoelectric materials and solders, respectively. However, there are no previous Sn/Te interfacial reaction studies which are important for the development of thermoelectric devices. A piece of 7 mm×5 mm× 2mm pure Te was encapsulated together with 2 grams of pure Sn in a quartz tube. The sample capsules were placed in a furnace at 250^oC and 300^oC for various lengths of reaction time. Only one reaction phase, SnTe, was formed. The reaction rates were very fast, and the reaction products were with very unusual cruciform patterns. The reaction layer was 800 μm thick when reacted at 300^oC for 30 minutes. The reaction layer was porous, but with uniform thickness, very straight and tidy boundaries through the entire couples. At the corner of the Te, the reaction products were with cruciform pattern. The special kind of reaction morphologies are found only in the Fe/Zn, Ti/Al, Ni/Ga and Nb/Al/Ni systems. It is assumed that the porous SnTe layers grew outward rapidly, cracked at the corners, and thus very unusual cruciform patterns were formed.

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