A shell model of bound multiexciton complexes in silicon

Abstract

It is shown that many features of the recombination luminescence attributed to bound multiexciton complexes (BMEC) in Si can be understood in terms of a shell model. Zeeman and stress-split spectra of phosphorus BMEC's are explained by the model and luminescence lines which were originally predicted by the model have been observed. A qualitative interpretation of the energies of the BMEC recombination photons is given. The intensities of acceptor bound exciton and BMEC luminescence lines are explained for the first time. A formal treatment of no-phonon recombination in indirect gap semiconductors is given and related to the observed spectra.