Alloy engineering addresses long-standing problem of semiconductor defects

(Phys.org)--The performance of all of today's electronic devices depends on the quality of the semiconductor materials they're made of. Two of the most important factors that affect a semiconductor's properties are its band gap and its defects, both of which can be tuned to control its conductivity. While several methods exist to tune band gaps, there is still a lack of effective methods for controlling defects, which can have adverse effects on the semiconductor's overall properties.