Phase transitions investigation in ZnTe by thermoelectric power measurements at high pressure

The pressure-induced phase transitions were studied in ZnTe by the thermoelectric power (S) technique. For the high-pressure trigonal phase P3121 cinnabar the large thermopower values S≈+400 correspond to semiconductor hole conductivity. During a transition into the orthorhombic structure Cmcm the value of S dropped by 40–50 times indicating metallic hole conductivity, like in the high pressure phases of other chalcogenides of II Group (HgSe, HgTe, CdTe) with Cmcm structure. In a transient region between the trigonal and orthorhombic phase (especially under decreasing pressure) a novel phase has been observed with a negative value of S. By analogy with other Zn and Cd chalcogenides whose NaCl phases have an electron type of conductivity the phase observed may have a NaCl structure.