Anomalous temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity in In0.17Ga0.83N

Resistivity and Hall effect measurements on n-type undoped In0.17Ga0.83N alloy grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) technique were carried out as a function of temperature (15–350 K). In0.17Ga0.83N alloy is regarded as a highly degenerate semiconductor system with a high carrier concentration of ∼9.2×1019 cm−3. An anomalous resistivity behavior is observed over the whole temperature range. The temperature dependent resistivity of In0.17Ga0.83N exhibits a metal-semiconductor transition (MST) around 180 K. The temperature coefficient of resistivity is negative at low temperatures (T<180K) and it becomes positive at relatively high temperatures (T>180K). In addition to this, a negative magnetoresistivity (MR) has been observed below 180 K. The temperature dependent resistivity of In0.17Ga0.83N alloy is explained in the terms of the electron–electron interaction (EEI) and the weak localization (WL) phenomenon at low temperatures (T<180K). At high temperatures (T>180K) the temperature dependent resistivity obeys T2T2 law.