Photoconductivity kinetics and the nature of Yb-induced defect states in Pb1-xGexTe alloys

Abstract

In this paper galvanomagnetic properties and photoconductivity kinetics in Pb1-xGexTe alloys doped with Yb were investigated. The existing of Yb-induced level near the valence band top was established. High photosensitivity at temperature under 30 K and the effect of persistent photoconductivity at helium temperature were found. The photoconductivity kinetics revealed two types of relaxation processes: a fast one and a long duration one, that was explained assuming that doping with Yb leads to the formation of reconstructing Jahn-Teller centers in Pb1-xGexTe alloys.