Using computer simulation to understand detection enhancement in amorphous silicon structures

摘要

Photodetection mechanisms can be quite complex in amorphous semiconductors due to the extensive trapping and electric field redistribution. When properly understood and exploited, this rich complexity can lead to enhanced photodetection. Using the AMPS computer model, we explore two such experimentally verified situations: one is an example of a primary photoconductivity type of effect which can yield quantum efficiencies greater than unity and the other is an example of a secondary photoconductivity type of effect which can yield gains of 10$+3$/.