Effect of photoelectrochemical etching on charge collection efficiency in CdS: An electron beam induced current study

Parallel secondary electron and charge collection images of a CdS/Au Schottky barrier show that photoetching of the CdS improves the charge collection efficiency. This is explained in terms of preferential removal of (near) surface recombination centers by the photoetching. Evidence is given that lack of photoetching of specific areas of the surface is due to the fact that such areas are photoelectrochemically inactive, possibly because of poor electrical contact with underlying CdS, and combined photoetching and scanning electron microscopy investigation is suggested as a way to check semiconductors for inactive regions.