Electronic properties of semiconductors

Conductivity of Hg$_3$In$_2$Te$_6$ crystals in high electric fields

O. G. Grushka, S. M. Chupyra, O. M. Myslyuk, S. V. Bilichuk, I. I. Zabolotskiy

Chernivtsi National University named after Yuriy Fedkovych

Abstract: The effect of electric field and temperature on the conductivity of bulk Hg$_3$In$_2$Te$_6$ crystals is investigated. It is shown that the I–V characteristics in high electric fields are of the $S$ type with the effect of switching into a low-resistance state. The critical voltage of transition from the Ohm law to the exponential dependence of the current $(I)$ on the voltage $(U)$ and the threshold voltage of transition into the region of negative differential resistance $dU/dI = s<$ 0 linearly depend on the sample thickness. The activation energies of conductivity in low and high electric fields are determined. It is established that the superlinear portion of the I–V characteristic with $dU/dI >$ 0 is described by the dependence of the type $I=I_0\exp(U/U_0)$ and caused by the electron transitions from the local centers with the energy level $E_t$ = 0.19 eV.

Received: 07.06.2010
Accepted: 22.06.2010

 English version: Semiconductors, 2011, 45:1, 49–51

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