Electron trap cross section

In a recent series of experiments, values for high-frequency microwave photoconductivity data [196]. These weighted averages for the various... 

Fig. 27. Scanning electron micrograph (a) and cross-sectional comparison (b) of screen and depth filters both having a nominal particulate cut-off of 0.4 flm. The screen filter (a Nuclepore radiation track membrane) captures particulates at the surface. The phase-inversion ceUulosic membrane traps the...

The excess free carriers (and excitons) do not represent stable excited states of the solids. A fraction of them recombine directly after thermahzation either radiatively or by multiphonon emission. In most materials, nonradiative transitions to defect states in the gap are the dominant mode of decay. The lifetime of free carriers T = 1/avS is determined by the density a of recombination centers, their thermal velocity v, and the capture cross section S, and may span 10-10 s. Electrons, captured by states above the demarcation level, and holes, captured by states below the hole demarcation level, may get trapped. The condition for trapping is given when the occupied electron trap has a very small cross section for recombining with a free hole. The trapping process has, until recently, not been well understood. 

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