Lifetimes and Capture Cross Sections in Gold-Doped Silicon

The free lifetimes of electrons and holes in gold-doped silicon were determined by applying an electric field and measuring the amplitude of the pulses produced by α-particles. Knowing the impurity concentrations and assuming that the lifetimes is determined primarily by capture at the gold-sites, the cross sections for capture were calculated. The value for either electrons or holes at neutral gold sites is 2×{}10^-15 cm² and at oppositely-charged sites, 1×{}10^-13 cm².