Band-Overlap Metallization of BaTe

Abstract

Energy-dispersive x-ray diffraction studies have been made on BaTe to 410 kbar. It undergoes a first-order phase transition from the sodium chloride structure to the cesium chloride structure at 48 kbar. $P\left(V\right)$ data were obtained over the entire range. Optical studies indicated by extrapolation that metallization will occur for $\frac{V}{V_0}\sim 0.65$ while resistivity studies show directly that band-overlap metallization occurs at $\frac{V}{V_0}=0.65\mathrm{}$ and $P=200\mathrm{}$ kbar. The resistivity of the semimetallic phase is 600 μΩ cm at 300 K; the resistivity of the semimetallic phase varies linearly with temperature between 200 and 300 K.