On the application of the Meyer-Neldel rule to a-Si:H

The dependence of the conductivity prefactor sigma 0 on the activation energy E a in a-Si:H has been determined by measuring the Staebler-Wronski effect (1977, 1980) in undoped and n-doped glow discharge a-Si:H samples and by comparing DC conductivity measurements in differently n-doped samples in defined states. A very exact linear dependence of ln sigma 0 on E a as described by the Meyer-Neldel rule is observed, with good quantitative agreement between the parameters for the two cases. On the basis of these results it is proposed that the Meyer-Neldel rule is fundamental in a-Si:H, by which it is meant that it has to be taken into account in any model for the electronic transport properties of this material, and that it should not be explained by a model specific to a-Si:H.