Metal–insulator transition and variable-range hopping conductivity of n-CdSb in magnetic field

Resistivity, ρ  , of a II–V group semiconductor n-CdSb doped with In is investigated in pulsed magnetic fields up to B=25T and at temperatures T=2-77K. The low-temperature resistivity ρ(T) increasing with T in the range of B<4 T is found to have an upturn around B∼4 T and strong activated behavior at further increase of B. These observations give evidence for magnetic-field-induced metal–insulator transition (MIT). In the insulating side of the MIT, Mott variable-range hopping (VRH) conductivity with two types of asymptotic behavior, ln ρ (T, B)∼T−3/4B2 and ln ρ (T, B)∼(B/T)1/3, is established in low and high magnetic fields, respectively. The VRH conductivity is analyzed using a model of the near-edge electron energy spectrum established by investigations of the Hall effect. The VRH conductivity is shown to take place over the band tail states of one out of two impurity bands, which for T=0T=0 and B=0B=0 lie above the conduction band edge.