Trapping-related recombination of charge carriers in silicon

Abstract

We present experimental evidence and theoretical explanation for simultaneous occurrence of trapping related increased apparent carrier lifetime and decreased actual recombination lifetime in low injection. This correlation is not describable by the common Hornbeck and Haynes [Phys. Rev. 97, 311 (1955)] trapping model. McIntosh, Paudyal, and Macdonald [J. Appl. Phys. 104, 084503 (2008)] recently used Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH) recombination statistics [Phys. Rev. 87, 835 (1952)] for describing the temperature dependence of trapping. Our study shows that these SRH statistics for traps also explain a causal connection between trapping-related increased apparent charge carrier lifetime and reduced actual lifetime in low injection.