On the magnetic phase transition in strongly chained TlFeS<Subscript>2</Subscript> and TlFeSe<Subscript>2</Subscript> semiconductors

The published data on the magnetic properties of strongly chained TlFeS₂ and TlFeSe₂ semiconductors have been analyzed. Based on this analysis, it is suggested that these semiconductors are quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnets. Each of them has two Néel temperatures, which characterize the long-range (T _N3D) and short-range (T _N1D) magnetic orders.     

Ab initio calculations of phonon dispersion in CdGa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Se<Subscript>4</Subscript>

The density of phonon states and the phonon dispersion in the Brillouin zone are calculated by the density functional method of. The displacements of atoms in the elementary cell are constructed for vibrations of the A, B, and E symmetries. The calculated frequencies of optical phonons are consistent with the experimentally determined frequencies from the IR-absorption (infrared) and Raman-scattering spectra. In the xy plane, the intersection of low-frequency optical phonons with acoustic phonons is observed.     

Magnetic properties of the FeIn<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>4</Subscript> ternary-compound crystals

Crystals of the ternary compound FeIn₂S₄ are grown by directional crystallization of a melt (the horizontal Bridgman method). Composition of the crystals and their crystal structure are determined. Magnetic properties of the FeIn₂S₄ crystals are studied in the temperature range 4–310 K in magnetic fields of 0–140 kOe. It is shown that the crystals under study are paramagnets up to ∼12 K and their specific magnetic moment monotonically increases with decreasing temperature. The antiferromagnetic character of indirect interactions between Fe²⁺ cations is established. The most probable causes and the mechanism of the formation of the magnetic state in the FeIn₂S₄ crystals are discussed.     

Ab initio calculations of phonon spectra of (GaP)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript>(AlP)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis></Subscript> superlattices

Using the method of linear response, vibrational spectra and densities of states of GaP and AlP crystals and monolayer GaP/AlP superlattices are calculated. Phonon modes of (GaP) _n (AlP) _m superlattices with various numbers of monolayers are calculated for the center of the Brillouin zone. The obtained results are compared with the Raman scattering data and the effect of nonideality of the interface on phonon frequencies is discussed.     

Electrical properties of FeIn<Subscript>2</Subscript>Se<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystals

The temperature dependence of electrical conductivity and current-voltage characteristics of FeIn₂Se₄ single crystals were studied. It is shown that the current in the nonlinear range of the current-voltage characteristic is caused by the field effect. The activation energy of charge carriers, the concentration of traps, and the shape of a potential well in the region of a trap are determined.     

Ab Initio Calculations of Phonon Dispersion in ZnGa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Se<Subscript>4</Subscript>

In the context of density functional theory, the phonon density of states and phonon dispersion are calculated for ZnGa₂Se₄. The temperature dependence of the heat capacity of ZnGa₂Se₄ in the temperature range 5–400 K is obtained. The calculated frequencies and symmetries of phonon modes in the center of the Brillouin zone are in good agreement with experimental data obtained by Raman spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy.     

Current-voltage characteristics of MnGa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Se<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystals

The current-voltage characteristics of MnGa₂Se₄ single crystals have been investigated. The measurements were performed in the range of electric fields from the level at which the Ohm law is satisfied to 10 V/cm, and in the temperature range 300–400 K. The data obtained are interpreted within the theory of injection-contact phenomena and the theory of field ionization of traps due to the Poole-Frenkel effect.     

Superionic conductivity in TlGaTe<Subscript>2</Subscript> crystals

Temperature dependences of electrical conductivity σ(T) and permittivity ɛ(T) of one-dimensional (1D) TlGaTe₂ single crystals are investigated. At temperatures higher than 305 K, superionic conductivity of the TlGaTe₂ is observed and is related to diffusion of Tl⁺ ions via vacancies in the thallium sublattice between (Ga³⁺Te₂^{2− −} nanochains. A relaxation character of dielectric anomalies is established, which suggests the existence of electric charges weakly bound to the crystal lattice. Upon the transition to the superionic state, relaxors in the TlGaTe₂ crystals are Tl⁺ dipoles ((Ga³⁺Te₂²⁻)⁻ chains) that arise due to melting of the thallium sublattice and hops of Tl⁺ ions from one localized state to another. The effect of a field-induced transition of the TlGaTe₂ crystal to the superionic state is detected.     

Photosensitive structure on CdGa<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystals

Single crystals of the CdGa₂S₄ ternary compound were grown either from melt or by chemical-vapor deposition. The crystal-lattice parameters and some physical properties of homogeneous crystals having defect chalcopyrite structure with the point symmetry group \(I\bar 4(S_4^2 )\) are determined. A number of photosensitive structures—Schottky barriers, heterostructures, photoelectrochemical cells, and natural-protein-CdGa₂S₄ barriers—were formed for the first time on the basis of the single crystals under investigation. The photoelectric properties of the structures obtained were studied using natural and linearly polarized light at T=300 K. The main parameters of these structures are determined, and it is concluded that they can be used in photodetectors.     

Photosensitive structures based on In<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>3</Subscript> crystals

Crystals of the compound In₂S₃ were grown by planar crystallization of the melt. The composition, structure, and electrical characteristics of the crystals obtained were determined. Photosensitive structures based on the grown In₂S₃ crystals were fabricated for the first time; spectral dependences of photoconversion quantum efficiency for H₂O/In₂S₃ cells were measured. The features of the band-to-band absorption are discussed; energies of the direct and indirect optical transitions for In₂S₃ crystals are estimated. It is stated that In₂S₃ crystals can be used in wide-range (1.5–3.5 eV) photoconverters of nonpolarized radiation (in particular, in solar cells).     

Effect of a high electric field on the conductivity of MnGa<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>4</Subscript>, MnIn<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>4</Subscript>, and MnGaInS<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystals

The results of studying the effect of a high electric field on the conductivity of MnGa₂S₄, MnIn₂S₄, and MnGaInS₄ single crystals are reported. The activation energy is determined in high and low electric fields. It is established that the decrease in the activation energy with increasing the external voltage is associated with decreasing the depth of the potential well, in which the electron is located.     

Anomalous thermoelectric power in Hg<Subscript>3</Subscript>In<Subscript>2</Subscript>Te<Subscript>6</Subscript> crystals

Based on data on the Hall coefficient, it is shown that the existence of potential barriers in the region of impurity conductivity of highly compensated Hg₃In₂Te₆ crystals is possible. The role of barriers in the anomalous behavior of transport phenomena is discussed qualitatively. Extremely large values of the thermoelectric power are related to the combination of thermoelectric powers of contact potentials for regions with different concentrations of electrons.     

Photosensitive structures based on ZnIn<Subscript>2</Subscript>Se<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystals

Photosensitive structures of surface-barrier and homojunction types have been fabricated for the first time on the basis of ZnIn₂Se₄ single crystals. The spectral dependence of the quantum efficiency of photoconversion has been studied and discussed. It is concluded that the structures are promising for commercial applications.     

Transport coefficients of <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>Te<Subscript>2.7</Subscript>Se<Subscript>0.3</Subscript> in a two-band model of the electron spectrum

The Hall factor and thermoelectric properties of an n-Bi₂Te_2.7Se_0.3 solid solution with the roomtemperature Seebeck coefficient |S| = 212 μV/K have been studied in the temperature range 77–350 K. The observed temperature dependences demonstrate a number of specific features, which were earlier found in samples with a lower electron density N. The effect of these specific features on the thermoelectric figure of merit Z appears to be more favorable for the sample under study: this sample is most efficient in the temperature range 120–340 K, and the average value of ZT is 0.71. It is found that a rise in the density N enhances the factor responsible for the effective mass decreasing as the temperature increases. This effect appears when the analysis is carried out in terms of a single-band parabolic model with N = const(T). This finding suggests that the most probable reason for the unusual behavior of these properties is the complex structure of the electron spectrum. Temperature dependences obtained from calculations of the transport coefficients show good agreement with the experimental data for two samples of the mentioned composition with different electron densities. The calculations have been performed in terms of a two-band model and an acoustic scattering mechanism and take into account the anisotropy and nonparabolicity of the light-electron spectrum.     

Effect of a phase transition on the electron energy spectrum in Ag<Subscript>2</Subscript>S

Temperature dependences of electrical conductivity σ, Hall coefficient R, and thermopower α₀ in Ag₂S are reported. It is established that at T ≈ 435 ± 5 K, all kinetic parameters vary drastically, which is associated with a change in parameters of the conduction band. It is shown that the dispersion law of electron energy in β-Ag₂S corresponds to the Kane model.     

Electrical properties of In<Subscript>2</Subscript>Se<Subscript>3</Subscript> single crystals and photosensitivity of Al/In<Subscript>2</Subscript>Se<Subscript>3</Subscript> Schottky barriers

In₂Se₃ single crystals ∼40 mm long and 14 mm in diameter were grown by the Bridgman method. The composition of grown single crystals and their crystal structure were determined. The conductivity (σ) and Hall constant (R) of grown single crystals were measured and the first Schottky barriers Al/n-In₂Se₃ were fabricated. Rectification and photovoltaic effect were detected in the new structures. Based on the study of the photosensitivity spectra of Al/n-In₂Se₃ structures, the nature of the interband transitions and band gap of In₂Se₃ crystals were determined. It was concluded that the new structures can be applied to develop broadband photoconverters of optical radiation.     

Special features of charge transport in PbGa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Se<Subscript>4</Subscript> crystals

The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of PbGa₂Se₄ single crystals grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method with a resistivity of 10¹⁰–10¹² Ω cm were measured. The value of the majority carrier mobility μ=14 cm² V^?1 s^?1, calculated by the differential method of analysis of I-V characteristics, makes it possible to evaluate a number of parameters: the carrier concentration at the cathode (n_c0=2.48 cm^?3), the width of the contact barrier d_c=5.4×10^?8 cm, the cathode transparency D _c ^* =10^?5–10^?4 eV, and the quasi-Fermi level E_F=0.38 eV. It is found that a high electric field provides the charge transport through PbGa₂Se₄ crystals in accordance with the Pool-Frenkel effect. The value of the dielectric constant calculated from the Frenkel factor is found to be equal to 8.4.     

Temperature dependence of the band gap of FeIn<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystals

Single crystals of the FeIn₂S₄ ternary compound are grown by the Bridgman method. The composition and structure of the crystals are established. The transmittance spectra of the crystals in the region of the fundamental absorption edge are studied in the temperature range of T = 20–300 K. The band gap E _g and its temperature dependence E _g (T) are determined from the transmittance spectra. It is shown that the shape of the dependence E _g (T) is typical of complex compounds.     

Effect of gadolinium impurity on transmittance and reflectance of Hg<Subscript>3</Subscript>In<Subscript>2</Subscript>Te<Subscript>6</Subscript> crystals

The results of measuring the optical transmission and reflection spectra in the transparency region of Hg₃In₂Te₆:Gd semiconducting crystals are reported. It is shown that, in the entire wavelength range under investigation (2–25 µm), doping with Gd results in an increase in the continuous structureless absorption by impurities and defects, which introduce a quasi-continuous spectrum of localized states within the band gap. A decrease in transmittivity is accompanied by a decrease in the wavelength-independent reflectivity. Variation in the refractive index is attributed to changes in the bonding and electronic polarization of Hg₃In₂Te₆:Gd crystals. It is ascertained that polarization constants depend linearly on the strength of internal electric fields which exist in the vicinity of impurity defects.