Recombination current in abrupt semiconductor p-n junctions

Abstract

The recombination currents in the space charge layer of abrupt pn junctions, calculated by computer, for different doping levels and different position of recombination levels in the semiconductor energy gap, are presented. The movement of the point of maximal recombination rate is shown when the forward bias voltage applied to p‐n junction is changed. Approximate expressions and method for calculation are given which may be used for calculation of the recombination current in these p‐n junctions with an error smaller than 12%.

Chemical natures and distributions of metal impurities in multicrystalline silicon materials

“…[1][2][3] These impurities can decrease the efficiencies of siliconbased devices in a variety of ways, including bulk recombination, 4,5 increased leakage current, [6][7][8] and direct shunting. 9,10 The groundbreaking study of Davis et al 11 specified threshold concentrations for individual metal species in Czochralski silicon (CZ-Si) photovoltaic devices, correlating the total metal content in a CZ-Si wafer to a quantified decrease in solar cell efficiency.…”

Evolution of thin protecting Si-layer on Mn0.5Si0.5 layer at low temperatures

“…Surface protection is important for silicon industry, because incorporation of impurities from outside during subsequent processing will change material properties and degrade device performance in a variety of ways, including increasing the leakage current [1,2], changing energy band structures [3] and even having chemical reaction with bulk atoms [4,5]. It is well known that impurities (such as Fe [3], Au [6,7], Pt [6], Ag [7], etc.…”

The electrical properties of Ga/nGaAs(110) interfaces

“…However there are good physical reasons for believing that m should be slightly less than 2. For example theoretical studies of the recombination current in pn junctions (e.g., see Lee and Nussbaum 1980, Nussbaum 1973, Evstropov et a1 1984, Leiderman 1985, Simeonov and Ivanovich 1984, Ashburn et a1 1975 have provided grounds for believing that m should be less than 2 (see also Panayotatos and Card 1980). The magnitude of m depends upon the distribution of the recombination centres within the semiconductors energy gap and also on the magnitude of the electron and hole capture cross sections (Shockley and Read 1952, Hall 1952, Sah et a1 1957, Yu and Snow 1968, Shaw 1981.…”