Preparation and Semiconducting Properties of Cadmium Phosphide (Cd 3 P 2 )

The preparation technology of the comparatively unknown compound Cd 3 P 2 is described, and the Hall effect, electric conductivity, and thermoelectric power in the temperature range 200 to 650 °K determined for both poly‐ and monocrystalline samples. It is found that the width of the forbidden band in n‐type Cd 3 P 2 , evaluated from the measurements of R H and ϱ, is 0.52 eV. The electron concentration n at T = 300 °K is 2 to 5 × 10 17 cm −3 , and the mobility μ H = 1500 cm 2 /Vs. The value of the resistivity ϱ 300 = 9 to 25 × 10 −3 Ω cm. The thermoelectric power a α at T = 300 °K is 180 to 200 μ V/°C. The value for the effective mass of the electrons, obtained from measurements of α and R H , is m * = 0.1 m 0 .