Tunnelling study on the temperature dependence of the band edge structure of SnTe

Abstract

The saddle-point-type band structure near the band edge of SnTe has been studied using tunnelling spectroscopy. Tunnelling measurements were performed on the single crystals of SnTe growth by the vapour phase transport method. The third derivative of the tunnelling current reflected the band edge structure peculiar to SnTe. The authors first observed the temperature dependence of the energy positions of the band edges and the saddle points of both the conduction and the valence bands separately in the temperature range between 120 and 150 K.