Electrical Properties of Mercury Telluride

Abstract

Polycrystalline HgTe, as prepared in sealed quartz tubes, was found to be $p$ type with acceptor concentrations of ${10}^{18}$-${10}^{19}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{-3\mathrm{}}$ and band gap ∼0.02 ev. Diffusion of zinc and copper into samples indicates that the former is a donor impurity, the latter an acceptor impurity. Measurements of resistivity and Hall effect extended to liquid hydrogen temperature reveal a marked magneto-Hall effect. The Hall coefficient changes sign at temperatures as low as 20°K. Some measurements of thermoelectric power and thermal conductivity are also given.