Electron scattering in InAs_xSb_1−x alloys

Abstract

Room-temperature measurements of the thermoelectric power α and Hall coefficient R have been made as a function of the magnetic field B on polycrystalline n-type samples of InAs x Sb 1−x , alloys of carrier concentration ~10 17 /cm 3 . Hence saturation values α ∞ and R ∞ and zero-field values α ∞ and R ∞ have been determined. Using these values of α ∞ and α ∞ and assuming a Kane model for the conduction band, values have been determined for the Fermi energy E F and the scattering parameter s over the whole alloy range. In all cases, the value of s is close to 0.5, indicating that the dominant scattering mechanism in the alloys is piezoelectric scattering. From the E F and R ∞ data, values of the bottom of the band effective mass have been calculated and these are compared with similar values obtained from Faraday rotation results.