Welcome to the new version of CaltechAUTHORS. Login is currently restricted to library staff. If you notice any issues, please email coda@library.caltech.edu
Published February 15, 1963 | Published
Journal Article Open

Photoemission from Au and Cu into CdS

Abstract

Many metal-semiconductor surface barrier rectifiers show photosensitivity for photon energies (hv) less than the semiconductor energy gap (E_g). Cases in the literature include metals evaporated or electrodeposited on elemental and III-V compound semiconductor surfaces. In these studies the source of the low-energy photocurrent, when hv < E_g, was shown to be the photoemission of carriers over the Schottky barrier between the metal film and the semiconductor. An extensive investigation has been reported for a series of metals, particularly Cu and Au, electroplated on n-type CdS with the conclusion that here also photoemission from the metal is responsible for most of the low-energy photovoltage. However, recent studies have questioned this conclusion for the CdS case. One study proposed that the origin of the low-energy photovoltaic response is electron photoexcitation from Cu impurities located in the CdS and within a diffusion length of the space charge region. Hole conduction probably in the 3d Cu levels was postulated for these samples, which had ≈ 30-ppm Cu. A second study interpreted the results as a p·n junction photovoltaic effect.

Additional Information

© 1963 American Institute of Physics. Received 18 December 1962: in final form 28 January 1963.

Attached Files

Published - 1.1753781.pdf

Files

1.1753781.pdf
Files (400.3 kB)
Name Size Download all
md5:bda91a5beeb83f7e093832dc4393212a
400.3 kB Preview Download

Additional details

Created:
August 19, 2023
Modified:
March 5, 2024