Photosensitive structures based on ZnP2 single crystals of monoclinic and tetragonal modifications: Fabrication and properties

The method of gas-phase resublimation is used to grow the single-crystals of monoclinic and tetragonal modifications whose composition are identical and corresponds to the ZnP₂ stoichiometry. The crystal-lattice parameters are determined and natural facets of the crystals of both modifications are identified. The obtained single crystals were used to fabricate for the first time the Schottky barriers and welded point structures; the latter exhibited rectification and the photovoltaic effect. On the basis of the first studies of photosensitivity of obtained structures subjected to the natural and linearly polarized radiation, the character of interband transitions is suggested, the values of the band gap are determined, and the influence of the position ordering of atoms on the structures’ properties is observed. The phenomenon of natural photopleochroism observed in the structures based on oriented ZnP₂ single crystals were studied. It is concluded that it is possible to use the zinc diphosphide in photoconversion of the intensity and polarization of optical radiation.