Non-equilibrium surface state properties at clean cleaved silicon surface as measured by surface photovoltage

Abstract

Surface photovoltage transients were measured at clean cleaved silicon (111) faces in ultrahigh vacuum. The temperature and doping of the samples, the intensity of the stimulating light pulses (energy less than band gap), and the surface coverage (clean and adsorbed water vapor) were varied systematically. The results yield information on the charge transfer at the surface and on surface recombination. The calculation of the surface photovoltage (using only the generation rates into and out of the surface states and data of thermal equilibrium) shows, that only one bulk band (conduction band for n-doped samples and valence band for p-doped samples) controls completely signal height and its relaxation via charge transfer to the surface states. The determined surface state parameters are: relaxation time constants, capture cross-sections for photons and transition probabilities. On the basis of the model all decay curves can be reproduced quantitatively.