Reverse ultrasonic changes of electrical conductivity in CdTe:Cl crystals

•For the first time the ultrasonic phenomena (in-situ) in n-CdTe:Cl are discovered.•Ultrasonic changes of the electron concentration and its mobility are reversible.•A main role of acousto-rebuilding crystal defects process belongs to dislocations.•The metastable defects are resposible for jump-like changes of the conductivity.•The acousto-stimulated diffusion is responsible for long-term conductivity changes.

Acousto-stimulated changes of electrical conductivity in low ohmic resistance n-type CdTe:Cl monocrystals are reversible and can be seen only during the ultrasonic influence. For the first time the long-term relaxation processes of the conductivity σ(t) at ultrasound-on as well as at ultrasound-off have been found out. The relaxation σ(t) is not monotonous generally, but, at least, has two stages. Acousto-active metastable defects are resposible for “instant” jump-like changes of the temperature dependence of conductivity σ(t). The acousto-stimulated diffusion processes where the defining role belongs to dislocations, are responsible for long-term relaxation the temperature dependence of conductivity σ(t). The main rebuilding process at ultrasound-on consists of the transformation of the charged acceptor complex into a neutral one.