The use of P-L-N structures in investigations of transient recombination from high injection levels in semiconductors

An analysis is given of a technique for following the transient decay of large densities of excess carriers in lightly doped (L) semiconductors (injected density ≥ equilibrium majority-carrier density). The density as a function of time is shown to be determined unambiguously from the voltage developed in a p+-L-n+structure by carriers injected electrically into the L-region during a preceding pulse of forward current. Experimental observations are presented on decay rates in germanium and silicon over several orders of magnitude of the carrier density.