EFFECT OF AN ELECTRIC-FIELD ON THE RELAXATION OF PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY INN-HG0.8CD0.2TE CRYSTALS

The effect of a pulling electric field on the relaxation curves of the photoconductivity of n-Hg0.8Cd0.2Te crystals has been investigated. I t is shown that as the field intensity increases, the relaxation time of the slow component increases and that of the fast component decreas es. The contribution of the slow component also decreases. This behavi or of photoconductivity relaxation is due to the change in the energy- band bending near macrodefects in the presence of an electric field an d to a change in the feeding of nonequilibrium charge carriers to the macrodefects. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.