Photoconductivity and the determination of trapping parameters in amorphous semiconductors

Measurements of photoconductivity in amorphous Si:Te:As are presented and the interpretation of the results has led to a simple trapping model for the amorphous semiconductor which is considerably at variance with the presently accepted model of a localized density of states tail extending into the energy gap from the band edges. A self-consistent, quantitative theory is used to analyse the data and, in contrast to the work on the subject which has been published to date. The authors, have plotted curves to demonstrate the correlation between the present theory and the data. The physical significance of the model is discussed.