2-STAGE PHOTOQUENCHING IN AU-SI DIODE WITH NATIVE-OXIDE LAYER ILLUMINATED BY INTENSE LIGHT

The effect of intense white light on the current-voltage characteristi cs of an Au/Si diode has been investigated. A two-stage photoquenching transient effect can clearly be identified in the forward and reverse directions. This phenomenon may be due to a trap (surface or deep tra p) undergoing a transition into a metastable state upon exposure to in tense light, inducing a lattice strain. This effect is further studied at low temperature; the general shape of photovoltage versus illumina tion time is preserved, but the trap-filling process of the two-stage transient speeds up, producing shorter transitions and higher saturati on levels.