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Photoconductivity in Materials Research

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Springer Handbook of Electronic and Photonic Materials

Part of the book series: Springer Handbooks ((SHB))

Abstract

Photoconductivity is the incremental change in the electrical conductivity of a substance upon illumination. Photoconductivity is especially apparent for semiconductors and insulators, which have low conductivity in the dark. Significant information can be derived on the distribution of electronic states in the material and on carrier generation and recombination processes from the dependence of the photoconductivity on factors such as the exciting photon energy, the intensity of the illumination or the ambient temperature. These results can in turn be used to investigate optical absorption coefficients or concentrations and distributions of defects in the material. Methods involving either steady state currents under constant illumination or transient methods involving pulsed excitation can be used to study the electronic density of states as well as the recombination. The transient time-of-flight technique also allows carrier drift mobilities to be determined.

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Abbreviations

AC:

alternating current

CB:

conduction band

CPM:

constant-photocurrent method

CVD:

chemical vapor deposition

DBP:

dual-beam photoconductivity

DOS:

density of states

IFTOF:

interrupted field time-of-flight

MPC:

modulated photoconductivity

SSPC:

steady-state photoconductivity

TOF:

time of flight

TPC:

transient photoconductivity

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorium voor Halfgeleiderfysica, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Monica Brinza Ph.D.

  2. Laboratorium voor Halfgeleiderfysica, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Jan Willekens Physics Tutor

  3. Laboratorium voor Halfgeleiderfysica, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Mohammed Benkhedir M.Sc.

  4. Laboratorium voor Halfgeleiderfysica, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Guy Adriaenssens Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Monica Brinza Ph.D.
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  2. Jan Willekens Physics Tutor
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  3. Mohammed Benkhedir M.Sc.
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  4. Guy Adriaenssens Ph.D.
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Monica Brinza Ph.D. , Jan Willekens Physics Tutor , Mohammed Benkhedir M.Sc. or Guy Adriaenssens Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, S7N 5A9, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

    Safa Kasap Prof.

  2. Materials Team Leader, SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems Infrared Ltd., Millbrook Industrial Estate, PO Box 217, SO15 0EG, Southampton, Hampshire, UK

    Peter Capper Dr.

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© 2006 Springer-Verlag

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Brinza, M., Willekens, J., Benkhedir, M., Adriaenssens, G. (2006). Photoconductivity in Materials Research. In: Kasap, S., Capper, P. (eds) Springer Handbook of Electronic and Photonic Materials. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-29185-7_7

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