Temperature and intensity dependence of the saturated density of light-induced defects in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

We compare experimental data for the saturated light-induced defect density Nsat in hydrogenated amorphous silicon with results obtained by a quasi-equilibrium model. If the model draws on a limited pool of defects the results agree with the experimental data, but if the model relies on the conversion of valence-band-tail states they do not. The model reproduces all three regimes of Nsat: a constant, maximum value of Nsat at high carrier generation rate G and low-temperature T; the dependence of Nsat on both G and T at intermediate temperature; and independence of G coupled with dependence on T at high temperature.