Carrier lifetime in ZnxCdyHg1−x−yTe: Calculation and experiment

This paper presents analytical expressions for energy gap, dielectric constants, and intrinsic carrier concentration vs temperature and composition of quaternary solid solutions Zn_xCd_yHg_1−x−yTe, with an energy gap 0.1 < E_g < 0.4 eV over a temperature range 80 < T < 290 K. The expressions were used to calculate the lifetime dominated by band-to-band radiative processes and two Auger processes. The calculated values were compared with the experimental data obtained on LPE fabricated samples. The lifetime in most of the samples was shown to be determined only by the above-mentioned recombination mechanisms at temperatures above 77 K.