Nondestructive characterization of Hg1-xCdxTe layer structures by magneto-thermoelectric measurements.

The thermoelectric properties of n-type Hgsub0.79Cdsub0.21Te (MCT) and of MCT layers with n-p-n structure were invesigated in transverse magnetic fields (B Delta T; 0 equal or smaller than B equal or smaller than 12 kG) using the lateral gradient method at temperatures between 15 K and 300 K. The experimental results were analysed regarding the contributions of electrons and holes to the magneto-thermoelectric effect and the scattering mechanisms involved. The analysis is based on a non-parabolic conduction band and Landau quantization together with expressions for the band gap, the intrinsic carrier density, and the magnetoresistance. The magneto-thermoelectric effect was found to be a useful nondestructive tool for determining the doping and composition of the constituent layers of MCT n-p-n structures.