Anomalous temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity in In0.17Ga0.83N

Abstract

Resistivity and Hall effect measurements on n-type undoped In0.17Ga0.83N alloy grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) technique were carried out as a function of temperature (15-350 K). In0.17Ga0.83N alloy is regarded as a highly degenerate semiconductor system with a high carrier concentration of similar to 9.2 x 10(19) cm (3). An anomalous resistivity behavior is observed over the whole temperature range. The temperature dependent resistivity Of In0.17Ga0.83N exhibits a metal-semiconductor transition (MST) around 180 K. The temperature coefficient of resistivity is negative at low temperatures (T - 180 K) and it becomes positive at relatively high temperatures (T - 190 K). In addition to this, a negative magnetoresistivity (MR) has been observed below 190 K. The temperature dependent resistivity Of In0.17Ga0.83N alloy is explained in the terms of the electron-electron interaction (EEI) and the weak localization (WL) phenomenon at low temperatures (T - 180 K). At high temperatures (T - 180 K) the temperature dependent resistivity obeys T-2 law. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.