Direct observation of intercenter charge transfer in dominant nonradiative recombination channels in silicon

We present direct observations on the alternating roles of a defect level in trapping and recombination processes of nonequilibrium charge carriers in silicon, by combined photoluminescence and magnetic-resonance techniques, where the microscopic signature of the defect can be monitored unambiguously. Intercenter charge-transfer processes are shown to be efficient and important in the trapping and recombination processes of the carriers, beyond the framework of the established Shockley-Read-Hall model.