The determination of carrier lifetimes and associated mobility magnitudes using photoconductivity recovery dynamics in thin-film amorphous semiconductors

D. M. Goldie

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The extraction of trap-limited mobility information using photoconductivity relaxation dynamics in thin-film amorphous semiconductors is evaluated. Simulated photoconductivity dynamics suggest that free carrier decay is characterised by a spectrum of recombination lifetimes, where the spectra are sensitive to the underlying distribution of shallow trap densities and the experimental photoconductivity generation conditions employed. Weighted averaging of the spectral lifetimes is found to return trap-limited lifetime estimates which agree to within 5% of the lifetime values expected from free-to-trapped carrier ratios established under steady-state photoconductivity conditions. The averaged spectral lifetimes may consequently be used with mobility-lifetime magnitudes to determine the associated trap-limited mobility. The analysis procedure is evaluated using photoconductivity data obtained from a set of a-Si:H films deposited over a range of substrate temperatures.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)11-15
Number of pages5
JournalThin Solid Films
Volume675
Early online date19 Feb 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2019

Keywords

  • Amorphous
  • Photoconductivity
  • Recombination
  • Semiconductor

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Surfaces and Interfaces
  • Surfaces, Coatings and Films
  • Metals and Alloys
  • Materials Chemistry

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