We present a first principles study based on density functional theory of
thermodynamic and electronic properties of the most important intrinsic defects
in the semiconductor alloy Cd(1-x)Zn(x)Te with x<0.13. The alloy is represented
by a set of supercells with disorder on the Cd/Zn sublattice. Defect formation
energies as well as electronic and optical transition levels are analyzed as a
function of composition. We show that defect formation energies increase with
Zn content with the exception of the neutral Te vacancy. This behavior is
qualitatively similar to but quantitatively rather different from the effect of
volumetric strain on defect properties in pure CdTe. Finally, the relative
carrier scattering strengths of point defects, alloy disorder, and phonons are
obtained. It is demonstrated that for realistic defect concentrations carrier
mobilities are limited by phonon scattering for temperature above approximately
150 K
