Growth and characterization of GdxHg1-xSe crystals

The growth of GdxHg1-xSe crystals by the vertical Bridgman method was studied in the composition range 0x0.1. The structural and electronic properties of GdxHg1-xSe crystals were investigated as a function of composition. It was found that an increase in gadolinium content up to x=0.01 results in a decrease of structural defects and an increase in electron mobility up to the maximum value of mu77approx 2.8X105 cm2/V s. Structural defects start to increase at x > 0.01, and the formation of Gd2Se3 amorphous phase takes place at x > 0.03. On the base of the electron-spin resonance investigation, it was shown that the Gd incorporates into the HgSe host in Gd3+ charge state at the concentration x0.01.