Electronic Processes in CdIn2Te4 Crystals

Abstract

The results of investigations of electrical, optical, and photoelectric properties of CdIn₂Te⁴ crystals, which were grown by the Bridgman method are presented. It is shown that electrical conductivity is determined mainly by electrons with the effective mass m_n = 0.44m₀ and the mobility 120–140 cm²/(V s), which weakly depends on temperature. CdIn₂Te₄ behaves as a partially compensated semiconductor with the donor-center ionization energy E_d = 0.38 eV and the compensation level K = N_a/N_d = 0.36. The absorption-coefficient spectra at the energy hν < E_g = 1.27 eV are subject to the Urbach rule with a typical energy of 18–25 meV. The photoconductivity depends on the sample thickness. The diffusion length, the charge-carrier lifetime, and the surface-recombination rate are determined from the photoconductivity spectra.