Samples of Te-rich p-type Hg1-xCdxTe, where x was equal to 0.20, 0.28, or 0.38, were investigated by means of high-temperature in situ Hall effect and conductivity measurements. The Te-rich limits of the p-side stability regions, measured in situ, corresponded to higher electrically active native point defect concentrations than those which had previously been reported for quenched samples. At temperatures ranging from 300 to 900K, there was a linear relationship between the reciprocal temperature and the logarithm of the electrically active native acceptor concentration. It was concluded that only one type of native point defect predominant, and that this was probably the Hg vacancy. The assumption that Hg vacancies were the predominant defects was supported by precision measurements of the lattice parameters. These decreased with increasing defect concentration. It was concluded that a considerably greater number of defects existed than were electrically detectable; especially at higher Cd contents.

M.Wienecke, M.Schenk, H.Berger: Semiconductor Science and Technology, 1993, 8[2], 299-302