Temperature dependence of the carrier lifetime in Cd x Hg1 − x Te narrow-gap solid solutions with consideration for Auger processes

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the carrier lifetime in CdxHg1 − xTe narrow-gap solid solutions in the temperature range 5 K < T < 300 K is analyzed within the scope of a microscopic model. Main attention is given to an analysis of the Auger recombination mechanism governing the carrier lifetime at high temperatures. The Auger-recombination rates are calculated with consideration for specific features of the band structure of the narrow-gap semiconductor in microscopic theory. It is shown that strict account of the non-parabolicity of the electronic structure in terms of Kane’s model leads to a substantially different temperature dependence of the Auger-recombination rates, compared with the approach in which nonparabolicity is disregarded.