Temperature Coefficient of Movement of the Resonance Level of Iron in Pb1 – x – ySnxFeyTe Alloys

Abstract

The phase and elemental composition and the temperature dependences of the resistivity and Hall coefficient (temperature range 4.2 K ≤ T ≤ 300 K, magnetic fields B ≤ 0.07 T) are studied in Pb_{1 – x– y}Sn_xFe_yTe alloys with varying matrix composition and iron-impurity concentration along single-crystal ingots synthesized by the Bridgman–Stockbarger method. The distributions of tin and iron along ingots are obtained. Anomalous temperature dependences of the Hall coefficient related to the Fermi-level pinning by the resonance level of iron located in the valence band of the alloys are found. The experimental results are analyzed within the model of transformation of the electronic structure, involving iron level movement with respect to the top of the valence band with increasing tin concentration and temperature. The temperature coefficient of the iron level movement with respect to the midgap is determined. Possible diagrams of transformation of the electronic structure with increasing temperature in alloys with the normal spectrum (0.06 ≤ x ≤ 0.35) are proposed.