Effect of Partial Substitution of Selenium with Copper on Conduction Mechanism in Ge20Se80-xCux Alloy

Abstract

Chalcogenide glass alloys are actively pursued worldwide because they are applicable in various technologies owing to adequate amorphous semiconducting features. Chalcogenide system Ge₂₀Se_80-xCu_x with x = 0, 5, 10, and 15 were prepared by melt quenching method, and the effect of partial replacement of selenium with copper on the electrical and optical properties was studied. The results showed that there are three types of electrical conduction: the first occurs between the local states near the Fermi level at low temperatures, the second occurs at intermediate temperatures between the local state of the tails of the energy gap, and the third occurs between the extended state of the valence and conduction bands at high temperatures.