Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T02:38:26.406Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Transient Response and Space Charge Effects in Extrinsic Photoconductors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

N. M. Haegel
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90024
C. A. Latasa
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90024
G. L. Fong
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90024
A. M. White
Affiliation:
Defense Research Agency, Royal Signals and Radar Establishment, Great Malvern, England
Get access

Abstract

Transient response times for extrinsic photoconductors under constant voltage bias have been calculated using a variable finite-difference technique. We find that the transient response to a step function increase in photon signal is determined by the build-up of a space charge barrier to counteract out-diffusion and sweep-out. Transient times on the order of 10−2 – 10−4 s are found for 20–500 μm thick detectors under the photon backgrounds typical of infrared astronomy and other low background spectroscopy applications.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1] Bratt, P. R., in Semiconductors and Semimetals, Vol.12, edited by Willardson, R. K. and Beer, A. C. (Academic, New York, 1977), p. 39.Google Scholar
[2] Richards, P. L. and Greenberg, L. T., Infrared and Millimeter Waves, Vol.6, edited by Button, K. (Academic Press, New York, 1982), p. 150.Google Scholar
[3] Williams, R. L., J. Appl. Phys. 38, 4802, (1967).Google Scholar
[4] Williams, R. L., J. Appl. Phys. 40, 184 (1969).Google Scholar
[5] Westervelt, R. M. and Teitsworth, S. W., J. Appl. Phys. 57, 5457 (1985).Google Scholar
[6] Haegel, N. M., Beeman, J. W., Luke, P. N. and Haller, E. E., Phys. Rev. B 39, 3677 (1989).Google Scholar
[7] White, A. M., Infrared Physics 25, 729 (1985).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[8] Haegel, N. M. and White, A. M., Infrared Physics 29, 915 (1989).Google Scholar
[9] Greenberg, Michael D., Foundations of Applied Mathematics (Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, 1978), p. 605.Google Scholar
[10] Haegel, N. M., Latasa, C. A. and White, A. M., submitted to J. Appl. Phys.Google Scholar