Mechanism of two-level hopping current fluctuations in mesoscopic a-Si based structures

Two-level fluctuations (random telegraph noise) of transverse hopping curre nt have been investigated in mesoscopic nanostructures fabricated on a subm icrometer area of a thin amorphous silicon layer. An electric field and lig ht-induced change of the system lifetimes in the high and low conductive st ates is observed. The results are explained by formation and annealing of m etastable defects in the atomic two-level hydrogen-related systems.