XIII. Photovoltaic and Photoconductive Theory Applied to InSb

Equations are formulated for the distribution of photo-electrons and photo-holes in an intrinsic material. From the results for the photovoltaic effect it is shown that a value for the ambipolar diffusion length and hence the carrier lifetime may be obtained from the spectral sensitivity curve. Surface recombination is shown to have a marked effect on the magnitude and spectral distribution of the photoconductive response. Prom these two effects two estimates of the surface recombination velocity are made, both giving values near 5 × 104cm/sec.