Abstract
Photodecomposition, optical absorption, and conductivity measurements were performed on thin films of lead azide in order to determine interrelation between electronic structure and chemical instability. Both pure lead azide and thallium and bismuth doped films were investigated. The azide films are prepared by chemical conversion of evaporated metallic films by the vapor of hydrazoic acid and are found to consist of 1 μm2 platelets which lie parallel to the substrate and are optically active. No effects of doping on the Fermi level are observed and we conclude that the dopants are self-compensated by native defects. The observed changes in ultraviolet and infrared absorption during thermal or photodecomposition can be attributed to the formation of azide vacancies. Thallium doping results in changes in optical properties similar to those obtained on decomposition. The initial step in photodecomposition appears to be the creation of charge-transfer excitons.
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