Transport and optical properties of heavily hole-doped semiconductors BaCu2Se2 and BaCu2Te2

Experimental and theoretical studies of the electronic and optical properties of orthorhombic BaCu₂Se₂ and BaCu₂Te₂ are reported. Experimental data include the electrical resistivity, Hall coefficient, Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity, and lattice constants for , and optical transmission and diffuse reflectance data at room temperature. Nominally stoichiometric, polycrystalline samples form with hole concentrations inferred from Hall measurements of 2×10¹⁸ and 5×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ near room temperature for the selenide and telluride, respectively. The corresponding mobilities are near 15 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ for both materials. Optical measurements reveal a transition near 1.8 eV in BaCu₂Se₂, while no similar feature was observed for BaCu₂Te₂. First principles calculations indicate both materials are direct or nearly direct gap semiconductors with calculated gaps near 1.0 eV and 1.3 eV for the telluride and selenide, respectively, and predict weak absorption below about 2 eV. Transport properties calculated from the electronic structure are also presented.