Preparation and Semiconducting Properties of Cadmium Phosphide (Cd3P2)

Abstract

AbstractThe preparation technology of the comparatively unknown compound Cd3P2 is described, and the Hall effect, electric conductivity, and thermoelectric power in the temperature range 200 to 650 °K determined for both poly‐ and monocrystalline samples. It is found that the width of the forbidden band in n‐type Cd3P2, evaluated from the measurements of RH and ϱ, is 0.52 eV. The electron concentration n at T = 300 °K is 2 to 5 × 1017 cm−3, and the mobility μH = 1500 cm2/Vs. The value of the resistivity ϱ300 = 9 to 25 × 10−3 Ω cm. The thermoelectric power a α at T = 300 °K is 180 to 200 μ V/°C. The value for the effective mass of the electrons, obtained from measurements of α and RH, is m* = 0.1 m0.