Tuning the band gap of PbCrO4 through high-pressure: Evidence of wide-to-narrow semiconductor transitions

[EN] The electronic transport properties and optical properties of lead(II) chromate (PbCrO4) have been studied at high pressure by means of resistivity, Hall-effect, and optical-absorption measurements. Band-structure first-principle calculations have been also performed. We found that the low-pres...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Errandonea, Daniel, Segura, A., Hamlin, J.J., Maple, M.B., Rodriguez-Hernandez, P., Muñoz, A., Bandiello, Enrico|||0000-0003-0956-3195
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2014
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV)
Repositorio:RiuNet. Repositorio Institucional de la Universitat Politécnica de Valéncia
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:riunet.upv.es:10251/232521
Acceso en línea:https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/232521
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Lead chromate
Monazite
High pressure
Resistivity
Hall effect
Band structure
Descripción
Sumario:[EN] The electronic transport properties and optical properties of lead(II) chromate (PbCrO4) have been studied at high pressure by means of resistivity, Hall-effect, and optical-absorption measurements. Band-structure first-principle calculations have been also performed. We found that the low-pressure phase is a direct band-gap semiconductor (Eg = 2.3 eV) that shows a high resistivity. At 3.5 GPa, associated to a structural phase transition, a band-gap collapse takes place, becoming Eg = 1.8 eV. At the same pressure the resistivity suddenly decreases due to an increase of the carrier concentration. In the HP phase, PbCrO4 behaves as an n-type semiconductor, with a donor level probably associated to the formation of oxygen vacancies. At 15 GPa a second phase transition occurs to a phase with Eg = 1.2 eV. In this phase, the resistivity increases as pressure does probably due to the self-compensation of donor levels and the augmentation of the scattering of electrons with ionized impurities. In the three phases the band gap red shifts under compression. At 20 GPa, Eg reaches a value of 0.8 eV, behaving PbCrO4 as a narrow-gap semiconductor. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.