“Anomalous” spectral photoresistive field effect in CdS crystals caused by the screening of the electron-hole interaction

The changes observed in low-temperature (T = 77 K) near-band-edge photoconductivity spectra of CdS crystals in response to an external transverse electric field applied to the sample surface have been investigated. An analysis of the “anomalous” character of these changes for a number of crystals has revealed a significant role of the near-surface effects of screening of the electron-hole interaction in the formation of near-band-edge photoconductivity spectra of CdS crystals with a technological excess of cadmium near the surface. It has been shown that the depletion (enrichment) transverse electric field leads to a weakening (enhancement) of screening effects in the photoconductivity spectra of the CdS crystals.     

Investigation of the excitonic structure in the photoconductivity spectra of CdS crystals

The changes in the low-temperature photoconductivity spectra of CdS crystals under the action of external influences are investigated. The high sensitivity of the fine (excitonic) structure of the spectra to changes in the conditions for the recombination of nonequilibrium carriers near the surface and in the bulk of the semiconductor is demonstrated. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 941–943 (May 1998)     

Effects of surface adhesion of nonequilibrium charge carriers in the photoconductivity spectra of CdS crystals

The relaxation of low-temperature (T = 77 K) edge photoconductivity (PC) spectra of CdS crystals of the first group1 caused by the removal of the transverse electric field is investigated. A clearly manifested inversion of the fine (exciton) structure is found in the spectra during their relaxation to the initial form (existing before the application of the field). It is shown that the observed relaxation changes in the PC spectra of CdS are due to relaxation of the nonequilibrium surface charge appearing as a result of trapping of a part of the charge, induced by the transverse field into the sample, by slow surface states (adhesion levels). The experimental data on the effect of preliminary illumination by self-radiation on the edge PC spectra of the first-group CdS crystals indicating the existence of surface adhesion levels with a high density in these crystals are presented.     

Investigation on trap distribution and photoelectronic effect due to UV,IR and visible light excitation in self-activated zns crystals

Photoelectronic effects in IR sensitive ZnS crystals are found for IR, UV and visible light excitations. The transient rise characteristic of UV excited photoluminescence (UPL) saturates faster than UV produced photoconductivity (UPC). The UPC shows a typical S-shaped rise curve for any 365 run excitation irradiance and temperature. Simultaneously measured transient behaviors of IR induced photoconductivity (INP) and IR stimulated luminescence (STL) have a strong IR excitation intensity dependence for λ_IR = 2.5?4.6 microm. A unique phenomenon, quick rise followed by quick decay during the initial 20 msec, is found in INP before reaching final maximum but is not observed in STL. During UV steady irradiation, additional photoconductivity and luminescence are quickly induced by an abrupt IR excitation of 2.5 microm. Then, the photoconductivity reaches a new steady state level below UPC steady state. However, the luminescence sets the same UPL steady state level. This means that photoconductivity exhibits an IR optical quenching but not stimulation, while neither optical quenching nor stimulation is found in luminescence. It is also possible to quench the UPC response with visible light excitation at 570 nm. These observations support the previously reported discussion that IR absorbing impurity centers and shallow traps, including recombination (or luminescence) centers must be involved in IR stimulable ZnS crystals. They also indicate the presence of deep trap centers for E_T ≈ 2.18 eV, which have a strong role in slow UPC rise.     

Photoreflection and photoconduction spectra of CdS crystals: Excitons in the electric fields of surface states

The exciton photoreflection spectra of CdS crystals are studied. It is found that the form of the exciton photoreflection spectrum is determined by a Stark shift of the exciton energy in the electric field of surface states. The dependences of the exciton photoreflection spectrum on temperature on the intensity and wavelength of the modulating radiation, and on the processes by which the photoreflection signal relaxes is determined. An energy scheme is proposed for the surface states which explains the observed effects of photoinduced changes in the surface field. A correlation is established between the exciton photoreflection spectrum and the form of the fine structure in the photoconductivity. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 875–876 (May 1998)     

Negative persistent photoconductivity in GaAs (δ-Sn) structures

The effect of illumination with various wavelengths λ (770 nm<λ<1120 nm) on the conductivity of GaAs structures with tin δ-doping of the vicinal faces was investigated in the temperature range 4.2–300 K. Negative persistent photoconductivity was found in strongly doped samples. It was shown on the basis of the results of investigations of the Hall and Shubnikov-de Haas effects that the negative photoconductivity is due to a large decrease in the electron mobility with increasing electron density. The decrease of electron mobility is explained by ionization of DX centers, which destroys the spatial correlation in the distribution of positively charged donors and negatively charged DX centers. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 2130–2139 (December 1999)     

Formation and stabilization of F centers following direct generation of self-trapped excitons in KCl crystals

The spectrum of luminescent F centers generated in high-purity KCl crystals by 7–10.2-eV photons has been measured at 230 K. The pulsed annealing of these centers (250–550 K), as well as the dependence of the efficiency of stable F-center generation on irradiation temperature (80–500 K) has been studied. The efficiencies of F ⁻ and Cl ₃ ⁻ -center generation are maximum under direct optical creation of self-trapped excitons in the region of the Urbach intrinsicabsorption tail. Besides the exciton decay with formation of F centers and mobile H centers, a high-temperature exciton decay channel which involves creation of cation defects stabilizing the H centers has been revealed. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 433–441 (March 1999)     

Photoconductivity of poly-<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-xylylene + CdS nanocomposite films over a wide temperature range

For poly-p-xylylene + CdS (PPX + CdS) nanocomposite films, the dependences of the photo-conductivity σ _ph (T) on the concentration C of CdS nanoparticles, intensity and wavelength of exciting light, and temperature T within 15–300 K are examined. An appreciable photocurrent appears at C ≥ 10 vol %, when a large percolation cluster of CdS nanoparticles is formed. The photocurrent spectrum is compared to the absorption spectrum of the film. The photocurrent I _ph (P) increases with the intensity of light flux P in a wavelength range near 435 nm according to the I _ph (P) ∼ P ⁿ power law, where n < 1. At 15 K, the photoconductivity of films with C ≈ 11.5 and 13.5 vol % is higher than that of a pure CdS film (C = 100 vol %) by factors of ≈100 and ≈30, respectively. For films with C > 11.5 vol %, the σ _ph (T) dependence at low T exhibits a metal-like character (σ _ph (T) decreases with increasing temperature). Atomic force microscopy is used to examine the surface topography of PPX + CdS films, which is found to be strongly dependent on the concentration of nanoparticles. The dark conductivity and photoconductivity of nanocomposite films arise due to the thermo- and photoexcitation transfer of electrons from the CdS nanoparticles to the PPX matrix with the formation of an electronic double layer at the PPX matrix-large percolation CdS cluster interface, a process that populates the phenyl rings of the adjacent PPX layer with excess electrons. As a result, various mechanisms of electron transfer in the polymer matrix can be realized: Mott’s hopping conduction mechanism with variable-range hopping in the matrix between CdS clusters and the metal-like behavior of the conductivity in the polymer shell of the large cluster at low temperatures. The polymer shell contains excess electrons on the phenyl rings -C₆H₄- in the composition of anion-resonances -C₆H₄⁻-.     

Photoluminescence of CuInS<Subscript>2</Subscript> single crystals grown by traveling heater and chemical vapor transport methods

Photoluminescence of CuInS₂ single crystals grown by both the traveling heater method (THM) and chemical vapor transport (CVT) has been investigated at 4.2, 78, and 300 K. Intense emission in the near-band-edge region caused by free and bound excitons has been detected for both types of crystals. Taking into account the energy position of the luminescence line of the ground (n = 1) and first excited (n = 2) states, the binding energy for free A excitons has been estimated to be about 19.7 and 18.5 meV for CuInS₂ grown by CVT and THM, respectively. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 76, No. 2, pp. 232–236, March–April, 2009.     

Transmission spectra of thin CdS and CdSe crystals near higher-order isotropic points

Summary For photon energies below the absorption edge in CdS, CdSe and other II–VI crystals the polariton dispersion curves forE⊥c andE‖c (c-axis in a wurtzite crystal) corss at some points called isotropic points (IP). The occurrence of isotropic points provides the possibility of mode coupling between ordinary and extraordinary waves. Since the consequences of mode coupling on the optical properties for photon energies near the lowest IP lying much below the first excitonic state were widely discussed in recent years, more attention is now paid to isotropic points lying near the band gap and related to then=2,3, … excitonic states (?higher isotropic points?). Making use of Stahl's real density matrix approach we derive the polariton dispersion relationsk _⊥ (ω), andk _‖ (ω), for CdS and CdSe bulk crystals and determine the positions of IP's due to the crossing of theB-polariton with higherA-excitonic resonances. By the method of multiple internal reflection we calculate the transmission spectra for various crystal thicknesses (between 3 μm and 0.5 mm) and coupling mechanisms. The calculated transmission shows sharply peaked structures centred at the isotropic points.     

Electrical, optical, and photoelectric properties of electron-irradiated indium-doped cadmium sulfide single crystals

The effect of irradiation by 1.2-MeV electrons to a dose Φ=2×10¹⁷ cm^?2 on the electrical, optical, and photoelectric properties of In-doped CdS single crystals was studied. The experimental data obtained permit one to conclude that irradiation initiates decomposition of the supersaturated In solution in CdS, with the indium atoms at the sites of the cation sublattice being expelled by cadmium interstitial atoms. New slow-recombination centers were observed to exist in the irradiated CdS: In samples, with the maxima of optical quenching of the photoconductivity lying in the region of $\lambda _{M_1 } = 0.75\mu m$ and $\lambda _{M_2 } = 1.03\mu m$ . It is suggested that the new recombination centers are related to complexes containing cadmium vacancies and indium atoms.     

Electronic level diagram and structure of metastable centers in CdF2:Ga and CdF2:In semiconducting crystals

A study is reported of the optical properties of wide-gap, predominantly ionic cadmium fluoride crystals in photo-and thermally stimulated transformations of metastable indium and gallium centers. An analysis of these properties leads one to a conclusion of gallium having two metastable states (two types of deep centers). The deep-center binding energies and the barriers separating the shallow (hydrogenic) and deep centers have been determined for both impurities. Configuration-coordinate diagrams are developed, and microscopic models for the deep centers are proposed. It is concluded that these centers are identical with the metastable DX centers in typical semiconducting crystals. Thus cadmium fluoride is the most ionic among the crystals where DX centers have thus far been found. The potential of using such crystals for optical information recording is discussed. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 2130–2136 (December 1997)     

Ionic photoconductivity of RbAg4I5 superionic crystals

A new effect of illumination on ionic conductivity and activation energy of migration of mobile Ag⁺ cations in RbAg₄I₅ superionic crystals has been detected and studied. Reversible changes in the ionic conductivity due to illumination of superionic crystals are caused by reversible changes in the structure of electronic centers caused by elastic strain around these centers. The effect of elastic deformation on the process of ionic transport and activation energy for diffusion of mobile silver cations has been studied. Photostimulated recovery of the ionic conductivity after its change due to preliminary illumination of a RbAg₄I₅ superionic crystal with light of wavelength λ≃430 nm has been detected. This recovery of the ionic conductivity is due to excitation of centers in complexes generated by previous illumination of tested samples. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 698–706 (August 1997)     

Photoconductivity and photoluminescence in chemically deposited films of (Cd0.95-Pb0.05)S: CdCl2,Ce

The results of photoconductivity (PC), photoluminescence (PL), optical absorption spectra, XRD and SEM studies are presented for (Cd_0.95-Pb_0.05)S: CdCl₂,Ce films prepared by chemical bath deposition technique. PC gains ∼10⁷ are found in doped films. PL emission spectrum is found in red region which is related to 5d to 4f transition in Ce. Films prepared at 60°C show better PC while those prepared at room temperature (RT) show better PL. Optical absorption studies show reduction in band gap due to addition of PbS. A peak due to Ce is also observed in absorption spectrum. XRD studies show the presence of both CdS and PbS. SEM studies show presence of microcrystals, cluster of grains along with some rod type structures.     

Paramagnetic susceptibility of additively colored CdF2:In photochromic crystals

The paramagnetic susceptibility K _para of CdF₂:In crystals with metastable indium centers has been measured in darkness after photobleaching the crystals in visible light in the temperature interval 4–300 K. For crystals cooled in darkness to liquid-helium temperature K _para is wholly determined by the accompanying impurity Mn²⁺ with magnetic moment J=5/2. Illumination of the crystals leads to the appearance of an induced signal δ K _para due to the formation of centers with J=1/2. The results of the experiments indicate the absence of paramagnetism in the deep state of the indium center and its existence in the shallow (donor) state, i.e., they confirm the two-electron (negative-U) nature of the deep indium level in CdF₂. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1205–1209 (July 1997)     

Photostimulation of photoconductivity in electron-irradiated CdS:Cu single crystals

We have studied the photoconductivity of CdS:Cu single crystals irradiated by fast electrons. When the density of fast recombination centers (s-centers) due to the electron irradiation is high, one observes photostimulation of photoconductivity (PSP). PSP is due to the photoexcitation of holes from the s-centers into the valence band and their subsequent decay at slow recombination centers. The energy location of the s-centers can be found from the peak in the PSP spectrum; we find that E_s=E_v+(1.67 ± 0.02) eV.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 1, pp. 50–53, January, 1989.     

Kinetics of the photoconductivity and absorption in the D −(A +) bands in doped silicon

The photoconductivity (PC) spectra and the induced absorption of background radiation in the energy range 10–40 meV are investigated in weakly compensated B-, Ga-, and As-doped silicon at 4.2 K. It is shown that dips corresponding to the photoionization of long-lived excited states of B and As are observed in the PC spectra on the D ⁻(A ⁺) bands. It is found that the frequency dependence of the PC spectra corresponds to excitation relaxation times of the order of 10⁻⁴ s for the states in the D ⁻ (A ⁺) bands. It is established that in electric fields E>100 V/cm the PC decreases sharply, while the induced absorption of the background radiation changes very little. This confirms the conclusion that the excitation of the D ⁻ (A ⁺) itself makes the main contribution to the PC. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 66, No. 4, 224–227 (25 August 1997)     

Electronic properties of C60 single crystals doped with lithium by electrodiffusion

Diffusion of lithium cations in C₆₀ single crystals driven by electric field has been detected and studied. A novel technique for fullerene crystal doping based on injection of ions through a “superionic crystal/C₆₀ single crystal” heterojunction has been suggested. It has been found that lithium doping of C₆₀ single crystals brings about an ESR signal, and this signal as a function of time has been investigated. The electronic conductivity in Li_xC₆₀ crystals has a nonmetallic nature. Reflection spectra measured in the IR band have shown that the reflectivity due to free electrons gradually decreases with time, which correlates with the evolution of signals due to ESR and microwave conductivity. Lithium doping of crystals increases the oscillator strength of the T _1u (4) vibrational mode and shifts it to lower frequencies (from 1429 cm⁻¹ to 1413 cm⁻¹), which indicates that one electron is present at the C₆₀ molecule, and this fact may be treated as evidence that the LiC₆₀ phase is generated in a C₆₀ crystal. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 1706–1722 (November 1999)     

Study of crystals in medium-and long-wavelength IR ranges by surface-electromagnetic-wave spectroscopy

First observation of excitation of surface electromagnetic waves (SEW) is reported in the reststrahlen region in for biaxial crystal KTiOPO₄ (KTP) using a tunable CO₂ laser around 10 μm, and for CaF₂, BaF₂, MgO (cubic crystals), and LiNbO₃ (uniaxial crystal) in the far IR using ith a free-electron laser. The parameters of SEW propagation in these crystals have been obtained by the interference method of SEW phase spectroscopy, and the possibility of determining the complex dielectric permittivity of crystals from the SEW propagation parameters demonstrated in the range of SEW existence. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 237–241 (February 1998)     

Progress in the growth and research of crystals for wide-gap semiconducting materials

The feasibility of a sublimation sandwich method for controlled growth of single crystals and epitaxial layers of different SiC and GaN polytypes is demonstrated. The controlled production of pure (n _i <10¹⁶ cm⁻³) and heavily-doped crystals and epitaxial layers of these materials has made it possible to study their semiconducting parameters in detail and to identify the nature of a number of the most important impurity centers. It is shown for the example of SiC that the typically high chemical-binding energy of atoms in these compounds is the reason for the formation of stable metastable compounds, among them associations and clusters that include intrinsic defects which have a significant effect on the properties of the material. Clusters formed on the surface can serve as seeds for different polytypes during crystal growth. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 822–825 (May 1999)