THERMAL EMISSION RATES OF CARRIERS AT GOLD CENTERS IN SILICON

Abstract

Thermal emission rates of electrons and holes at the gold-acceptor center (EC − EAu− = 550 mV) and of holes at the gold-donor center (EAu+ − EV = 350 mV) are measured using the dark current, dark capacitance, and photocapacitance transient methods. About ten decades of the electron emission rate and eight decades of the hole emission rates are obtained in the temperature range of −160 to +100°C. The data correspond to electric fields of 104 and 105 V/cm maximum field in the p-n junction and differ from the thermal equilibrium emission rates computed from previously published capture rate data at thermal equilibrium due to the field dependence of the capture rate from hot electron effect and of the emission rate from barrier lowering of the impurity potential.