CONSISTENT MODEL FOR PbS PHOTODETECTORS: I. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

An experimental study on PbS photodetectors—of the Ektron type—is reported. The results show that the ratio of the responsivity over the conductance multiplied by the time constant is temperature-independent between 300° K and 80° K. This is shown to be consistent with the experimental results obtained on different types of PbS cells and explained by either the number or the barrier theory. The actual contradictions are removed by a new model to be proposed in Part II of this study.