Electrons, Holes, and Traps

Abstract

The statistics of recombination and of trapping of electrons and holes through traps of a single species are presented. The results of the Shockley-Read recombination theory are derived and more fully interpreted. A level of energy known as the equality level is introduced. When the Fermi level lies at this level, the four basic processes of electron capture, electron emission, hole capture, and hole emission all proceed at equal rates. Transient cases for large trap density are presented.