Highly resistive p-PbTe films with carrier concentration as low as 1014 cm−3

We propose here a model according to which a high density of semiconductor–insulator interface states can deplete practically the whole film volume, provided that the film thickness is of the order of Debye screening length. We demonstrated this experimentally by showing that thin p-PbTe films, thermally deposited on mica substrate, have an unusually low concentration of free holes, as low as 1014 cm−3 at 100 K, resulting in a very high value of resistance, Hall constant, and Seebeck coefficient, respectively. Such low concentration of free carriers allows an investigation of a whole series of phenomena in AIVBVI semiconductors, such as injection currents, injection electroluminescence, electronic memory phenomena, electric field effect control of thermopower, and more.