Far Infrared Photoconductivity Studies in Mercury Cadmium-Telluride Superlattices and

The advent of the molecular gas far-infrared (FIR) laser in 1972 has provided a monochromatic source in the heretofore inaccessible spectral region of 70-1500 (mu)m. When this source was integrated with a liquid Helium dewar and superconducting magnet the resulting instrument was ideally suited to magneto-optical studies of low energy electronic structures. The capabilities of the new spectrometer were directed towards newly developed one and two dimensional materials. A FIR laser optically pumped by a CO(,2) laser was constructed to cover the range 100-1000 (mu)m (10-100 cm('-1)). Special attention was given to selection of a minimal set of molecular gasses to cover this range as well as the development of an oversize waveguide system to transmit the energy into the experimental dewar. The development process included the design and optimization of reference bolometry for use at high magnetic fields. A superlattice composed of laser deposited HgTe and CdTe (layer thicknesses 110/200 Angstroms) was studied and found to exhibit a photoconductive resonance at 19 cm('-1) at 1.6 K. The lineshape and resonance strength were magnetic field dependent with the effect vanishing at 2.6 Tesla. The resonance was attributed to an energy level resonant with the bottom of the superlattice conduction band. By correlating S d-H measurements with photoconductive data the resonant level was placed 16 cm('-1) above the chemical potential. Extensive photoconductive measurements in the temperature range 1.7-3.2 K were made on the 1-dimensional organic superconductor (TMTSF)(,2)PF(,6). Photoconductivity variations with temperature, T, and magnetic field, B, were obtained at ambient pressure. The spin-density-wave gap determined optically was found to be 23 cm('-1) inconsistent with a measured thermal gap of 18 cm('-1). Photoconductive lineshapes were consistent with a 1-dimensional density of states. Both lineshape and gap discrepancy could be reconciled with a quasi 2-dimensional band model of K. Yamaji. From this theory, a transverse coupling energy, t(,b), of 208 K was inferred. (Copies available exclusively from Micrographics Department, Doheny Library, USC, Los Angeles, CA 90089.).