The Features of GaAs and GaP Semiconductor Cathodes in an Infrared Converter System

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the electrical and optical comparative analysis of semi-insulating GaAs and GaP photoconductive electrodes in an infrared converter system with a resistivity of >10⁷ Ω cm for the same interelectrode distance d and gas pressure p experimentally and theoretically, when the discharge cell has been filled by argon. To provide the stability of the semiconductor electrode in Ar media, the experiments were carried out in Townsend and glow discharge regimes for various parameter sets of pressure, interelectrode gap and discharge voltage. When the discharge exceeds a critical voltage value, some N-shape CVCs, which stem from both semiconductors and Ar gas, have been observed. To compare the features of the GaAs and GaP cathodes, the COMSOL multiphysics programme is used under the Ar media. The mean electron energy, thermal velocity, surface charge density, space charge and initial electron densities, and electron mobilities have been calculated for both semiconductor materials. It has been found that the electron mobility μe, electron thermal velocity, surface charge density σ and mean electron energy of GaAs is higher than those of GaP; hence, GaAs has better opto-electronic features compared to GaP. In addition, the experiments on the optical explorations prove that GaAs exhibit better optical response in the infrared region. The explored transport characteristics of the semiconductor electrodes are of importance, and they have to be taken into account when studying plasma cells.