Thermophoto-emf of hot carriers in γ-irradiated single crystals of Cadmium Mercury Tellurides

Abstract

The effect of γ-irradiation on thermophoto-emf of hot carriers in n-Cd_0.94Hg_0.06Тe and р-Cd_0.82Hg_0.18Тe single crystals has been studied. The dependence of the pattern of |U_tp| curves on E in the test Cd_xHg_1—хTe crystals is explained by the change in the degree of spatial heterogeneity of these crystals resulted from the accumulation of point radiation defects at relatively low D_γ and their spatial ordering caused by the introduction of a large number of point radiation defects at higher exposures. The proposed mechanism for the effect of γ-irradiation on the thermophoto-emf of hot carriers explains satisfactorily the dependence of |U_tp| kinetics on radiation dose, sample composition, temperature, and field strength.