Optical properties of Cd₃P₂

Abstract

Absorption measurements at room temperature and 90K on single crystals of Cd3P2 are given. Free carrier absorption can be interpreted in the simple classical model while the interband absorption is interpreted in the Kane band model using exact solutions of the secular equation and without neglecting the free electron term. The best fit of the theory to experimental points is found for Eg(300K)=0.53 eV, Eg(90K)=0.56 eV, P=6.7*10-10 eVm, Delta =0.1 eV and mv1=0.5 m0. Some results of thermomagnetic transport properties are discussed in the same model.