Trapping Processes at Dislocations in Plastically Bent Germanium

Abstract

Transient and steady state photoconductivity in plastically bent germanium are investigated. Strong trapping effects are observed at low temperatures. Two main properties of monopolar photoconductivity at moderate illuminations are found; the logarithmic decay of the photocurrent, and the logarithmic lux‐ampere characteristics. Experimental results are interpreted on the basis of the barrier model of recombination at dislocations. Good aggreement between experiment and theory is obtained assuming that a dislocation forms a one dimensional energy band, the centre of which lies about 0.44 eV below the conduction band.