Electrical conduction of SnBi4Se7

Polycrystalline samples of Bi₂Se₃ and stoichiometric ternary compounds in the quasi-binary system SnSe-Bi₂Se₃ were characterized by measurements of temperature and field dependence of electrical conductivity. The current density–electric field characteristics were found to be non-linear, especially when the applied electric field exceeds a certain value which is dependent on the temperature T. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity can be enhanced by the applied electric field. The characteristic length a(T) seemed to be enhanced with increasing temperature. Electrical conductivity measurements elucidated the semiconducting behaviour of both compounds, especially when the temperature of measurement exceeds a certain value for SnBi₄Se₇, and hopping and band type conduction are dominant at low and high ranges of temperature, respectively. Below 200 K, the electrical conductivity of SnBi₄Se₇ decreases with increasing temperature. Meanwhile, additional scattering and hopping seemed to characterize the behaviour of SnBi₄Se₇ due to the Sn doping of Bi₂Se₃ resulting in additional states at the Fermi level. PACS 72.20.-i; 72.15.-v