On detailed balance between Auger recombination and impact ionization in semiconductors

Abstract

If empirical impact ionization data were available more widely, empirical Auger recombination coefficients and lifetimes could be worked out. This is in analogy with the well-known van Roosbroeck-Shockley formula giving the radiative recombination rate in terms of absorption data. The appropriate formulae are derived in this paper, and the analogy is traced in detail.