Features of a priori Heavy Doping of the n-TiNiSn Intermetallic Semiconductor

The crystal structure, the distribution of electron density, and the energy, kinetic, and magnetic properties of the n-TiNiSn intermetallic semiconductor are investigated. It is shown that a priori doping of n-TiNiSn with donors originates from partial, up to 0.5 at %, redistribution of Ti and Ni atoms in crystallographic sites of Ti atoms. The correlation is established between the donor concentration, amplitude of modulation of the continuous energy bands, and degree of filling of low-scale fluctuation potential wells with charge carriers. The results obtained are discussed within the Shklovskii-Efros model of a heavily doped and compensated semiconductor. DOI: 10.1134/S1063782611070190