Chemical configuration of germanium surfaces in aqueous media

Abstract

An essentially electrochemical technique has been employed for measuring changes in surface recombination velocity v δ for an n-type germanium electrode. Displacement of dissolved oxygen from the solution leads to an increase in v δ. During cathodic polarization v its is large, but is small subsequently. The results indicate that v δ varies in a regular way with the surface potential φ δ of the germanium, but that chemisorption of hydrogen results in a decrease in the density of surface recombination centers.