RELIABLE RECTIFIERS AND PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERTERS FOR HIGH-LEVELS OF IONIZING IRRADIATION

Nonlinear charge carrier transport has been investigated for the metal -intrinsic semiconductor-metal (M-i-M) and heterojunction of two intri nsic semiconductor (i-i) structures. It is shown that if the film thic kness is of the order of the Debye screening radius, the current-volta ge characteristics of these structures become comparable to those obse rved for the usual junctions at the base of doped semiconductors. The possibility of solid-state electronic devices at the base of M-i-M and i-i thin film structures is demonstrated. For intrinsic semiconductor s, using semiconductors of the In2Te3 type, which cannot be effectivel y doped, but possess extremely high radiation stability, permits one t o create a family of electronic devices for application under conditio ns of very high levels of ionizing irradiation. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.