The effect of surface recombination on current in AlxGa1−xAs heterojunctions
- 1 June 1978
- journal article
- research article
- Published by AIP Publishing in Journal of Applied Physics
- Vol. 49 (6), 3530-3542
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.325265
Abstract
We show that the 2kT current in double‐heterostructure AlxGa1−xAs p‐n junctions is primarily due to surface recombination at the junction perimeter. The rate of surface recombination is evaluated by means of two luminescence experiments. Both experiments provide evidence that the rate of surface recombination increases with bias as exp(eV/2kT) and has the correct magnitude to account for the measured I‐V curves. It is shown theoretically that recombination at a depleted surface is proportional to exp(eV/2kT) at high bias. The 2kT behavior is a consequence of the nearly constant ratio of electron and hole densities at the surface. The nearly constant ratio is needed to maintain equality of surface and surface depletion layer charge. p‐n junction perimeters of cleaved, etched, and proton‐bombarded interfaces are evaluated and found to have similar rates of nonradiative recombination with the rate of surface recombination given by R=s0(np)1/2, where s0 is approximately 4×105 cm/sec.Keywords
This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
- Derivative measurements of the current-voltage characteristics of double-heterostructure injection lasersIEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, 1976
- Effect of surface treatment on surface recombination velocity and diode leakage current in GaPJournal of Vacuum Science and Technology, 1976
- A study of electron traps in vapour-phase epitaxial GaAsApplied Physics B Laser and Optics, 1975
- Integrated GaAs-AlxGa1-xAs double-heterostructure laser with independently controlled optical output divergenceIEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, 1975
- Surface effects of GaAs0·6P0·4 light emitting diodesSolid-State Electronics, 1973
- Detailed light-current-voltage analysis of GaP electroluminescent diodesJournal of Applied Physics, 1973
- An Electrochemical Study of Electroless Gold-Deposition ReactionJournal of the Electrochemical Society, 1973
- Self-Consistent Results for-Type Si Inversion LayersPhysical Review B, 1972
- Statistics of the Recombinations of Holes and ElectronsPhysical Review B, 1952
- Electron-Hole Recombination in GermaniumPhysical Review B, 1952