Local order and metal-non-metal transition in CdxTe1-x:: a neutron diffraction study

Local order in the CdxTe1-x (for 0.5 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 1) system has been investigated by means of thermal neutron scattering to study a semiconductor-to-metal transition as a function of concentration in the 50-100% Cd range. The coordination number has been evaluated from the pair correlation functions. It is consistent with a semiconducting property for liquid Cd0.5Te0.5 having a coordination number close to 4 and with a metallic conductivity for liquid cadmium, having a compact environment and a coordination number of about 10. We discuss the critical concentration for semiconductor-to-metal transition and the sharpness of this transition. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.