On the ferroelectricity in Zn x Cd 1-x Te

Authors:

• Marceli Koralewski,
• N.V. Sochinskii,
• M.D. Serrano,
• E. Dieguez,
• J. Garrido,
• G. Lifante,
• B. Noneda,
• J.A. Gonzalo

Abstract

Spontaneous polarization and their reversibility in Zn _0.04 Cd _0.96 Te has been investigated in temperature range from 85K to 380K. We show that truly compensated hysteresis loops can be observed with good ohmic contacts and only at low temperature, where conductivity is 2 to 3 orders smaller than at room temperature. No true hysteresis loops were observed in pure CdTe in the temperature range studied. The values of spontaneous polarization and coercive field are equal to 0.60μc/cm ² and 4.2kV/cm respectively at 85K. In our opinion, this is the first proper evidence of polarization switching in pseudobinary A _x B _1-x C semiconducting ferroelectrics.