Nature of AX centers in antimony-doped cadmium telluride nanobelts

Single crystalline p-type CdTe:Sb nanobelts were fabricated using an Au-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition method. Low carrier concentration and low mobility even at high Sb incorporation manifest compensation in the system. From cross examination of temperature-dependent charge transport and photoluminescence measurements, two major acceptor levels induced by Sb doping are determined: a shallow level attributed to substitutional Sb dopants without lattice relaxation and an associated deeper level resulted from large lattice relaxation-AX centers. Persistent photoconductivity and hysteresis photoconductance under the thermal cycle elucidate the nature of AX centers. This comprehensive investigation of the impurity levels in the material system is essential for the design and development of nanoelectronic devices based on the CdTe nanostructures.