Semiconducting Films of Antimony

Abstract

Thin films of antimony were condensed onto substrates at various temperatures. Films deposited at liquid oxygen temperatures showed large negative temperature coefficients of resistance. In general, reversible resistance changes occurred if the films were cooled below a temperature previously reached; irreversible changes took place if the films were heated above that at which they were prepared. Activation energies were calculated from logR vs 1/T curves and gave values of ∼0.07 ev for low temperatures and ∼0.13 ev for high temperatures. There appeared to be little or no influence of evaporation rate or thickness on the activation energies. A theory based on lattice defects is proposed in order to explain the electrical behavior of the films.