Surface Recombination Velocity and Bulk Carrier Lifetime Measurement of Silicon Crystals by Using Photoluminescence Time Decay

Authors

Karsten Thölmann, Toshiba Corporation
Masakazu Yamaguchi, Toshiba Corporation
Akihiro Yahata, Toshiba Corporation

Abstract

The time decay for photoluminescence (PL) emitted from silicon crystals has been used to obtain both bulk carrier lifetime (Tb) and surface recombination velocity (S). Experimental results were interpreted with the assumptions that the sample was under a low-excitation condition and that the ratio of radiative to non-radiative recombination rates was constant throughout the carrier decay process. Analysis was applied to several wafers covered with different kinds of silicon dioxide (SiO₂). The results indicate that PL time decay measurement is effective to obtain the values of Tb and S.

Recommended Citation

Thölmann, Karsten; Yamaguchi, Masakazu; and Yahata, Akihiro (1995) "Surface Recombination Velocity and Bulk Carrier Lifetime Measurement of Silicon Crystals by Using Photoluminescence Time Decay," Scanning Microscopy: Vol. 1995: No. 9, Article 10.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/microscopy/vol1995/iss9/10