Carrier-Concentration-Dependent Phase Transition in SnTe

Abstract

The transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ of the displacive phase transition in SnTe as a function of the carrier concentration ${p}^{*}$ is determined by measurements of the resistance anomaly. The transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ decreases gradually with increasing ${p}^{*}$ and vanishes at ${p}^{*}\ensuremath{\sim}1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{21}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. The results are explained by the electron-TO-phonon interaction model with an optical-deformation-potential constant of 10 eV.