Temperature and intensity dependence of the saturated density of light-induced defects in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Abstract

We compare experimental data for the saturated light‐induced defect density N_sat in hydrogenated amorphous silicon with results obtained by a quasi‐equilibrium model. If the model draws on a limited pool of defects the results agree with the experimental data, but if the model relies on the conversion of valence‐band‐tail states they do not. The model reproduces all three regimes of N_sat: a constant, maximum value of N_sat at high carrier generation rate G and low‐temperature T; the dependence of N_sat on both G and T at intermediate temperature; and independence of G coupled with dependence on T at high temperature.