Effect of Magnetic Gd Impurities on the Electrical Properties of PbTe Single Crystals

Abstract

UDC 537.312

 

Under investigation are temperature dependences of electric conductivity, free carrier concentration and mobility in single-crystalline PbTe:Gd samples with varied impurity content. The features of electron transport in PbTe:Gd may be caused by a variable gadolinium valence. The striking result from the Seebeck coefficient measurements is that the thermoelectric power factor increases dramatically. Measurements of the magnetic susceptibility at low temperatures permit us to suggest that Gd ions may exist in different charge states.

 

Keywords: narrow-gap semiconductors, lead telluride single crystals, rare earths, magnetic susceptibility.

 

PDF