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Journal ArticleDOI

Space-Charge-Limited Currents in Solids

Albert Rose1
15 Mar 1955-Physical Review (American Physical Society)-Vol. 97, Iss: 6, pp 1538-1544
TL;DR: The presence of traps not only reduces the magnitude of space-charge-limited currents, but also is likely to distort the shape of the currentvoltage curve from an ideal square law to a much higher power dependence on voltage.
Abstract: Currents, far in excess of ohmic currents, can be drawn through thin, relatively perfect insulating crystals. These currents are the direct analog of space-charge-limited currents in a vacuum diode. In actual crystals, the space-charge-limited currents are less than their theoretical value for an ideal crystal by the ratio of free to trapped carriers. Space-charge-limited currents become, therefore, a simple tool for measuring the imperfections in crystals even in the range of one part in ${10}^{15}$.The presence of traps not only reduces the magnitude of space-charge-limited currents, but also is likely to distort the shape of the current-voltage curve from an ideal square law to a much higher power dependence on voltage. The particular shape can be used to determine the energy distribution of traps.The presence of traps tends to uniformize the charge distribution between electrodes, to introduce a temperature dependence of the current, and to give rise to certain transient effects from which capture cross sections of traps may be computed.Space-charge-limited currents offer another mechanism for electrical breakdown in insulators.
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive analysis of the developments in ultraviolet (UV) detector technology is described and the current state of the art of different types of semiconductor UV detectors is presented.
Abstract: In this review article a comprehensive analysis of the developments in ultraviolet (UV) detector technology is described. At the beginning, the classification of UV detectors and general requirements imposed on these detectors are presented. Further considerations are restricted to modern semiconductor UV detectors, so the basic theory of photoconductive and photovoltaic detectors is presented in a uniform way convenient for various detector materials. Next, the current state of the art of different types of semiconductor UV detectors is presented. Hitherto, the semiconductor UV detectors have been mainly fabricated using Si. Industries such as the aerospace, automotive, petroleum, and others have continuously provided the impetus pushing the development of fringe technologies which are tolerant of increasingly high temperatures and hostile environments. As a result, the main efforts are currently directed to a new generation of UV detectors fabricated from wide band‐gap semiconductors the most promising ...

1,308 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Michio Matsuoka1
TL;DR: In this paper, the non-ohmic properties of ZnO ceramics with five additives of Bi2O3, CoO, MnO, Cr2O 3, and Sb 2O3 are studied in relation to sintering temperature, additive content, and temperature dependence.
Abstract: Nonohmic properties of ZnO ceramics with five additives of Bi2O3, CoO, MnO, Cr2O3, and Sb2O3 are studied in relation to sintering temperature, additive content, and temperature dependence. The observation of electron photomicrographs and X-ray microanalysis proves a ceramic microstructure such that ZnO and these five oxides form, at the grain boundaries, segregation layers which are responsible for the nonohmic properties. The electrical resistivity and dielectric constant of segregation layers are estimated to be 1013 ohm-cm, and 170, respectively by using a simple model. The electric field strength corresponding to the steep rise in the current is also estimated to be 104 V/cm by taking account of the concentration of applied voltage at the segregation layer. In view of these data and simple model, a possible explanation for nonohmic properties is discussed.

1,054 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the acceptor electrode can form ohmic contact for hole injection into these crystals and that space-charge-limited currents can be drawn through them, which strongly indicates that the acceptors electrode can strongly indicate that the hole mobility in p−terphenyl is about 3×10−2 cm2/v sec, is independent of the field at least up to about 4×104 v/cm, and the hole trap concentration is at least 1013 cm−3.
Abstract: Electrical conductivity measurements were performed with thin (50 μ) single crystals of p‐terphenyl, p‐quaterphenyl, and anthracene supplied with aqueous electrodes, one of which was an iodine‐iodide solution (acceptor electrode), and the other an iodide solution. The results strongly indicate that the acceptor electrode can form ohmic contact for hole injection into these crystals and that space‐charge‐limited currents can be drawn through them. The crystals were found to contain hole‐trapping states the location‐in‐energy of which can be approximated by a decreasing exponential distribution above the valence band. The measurements showed that the hole mobility in p‐terphenyl is about 3×10−2 cm2/v sec, is independent of the field at least up to about 4×104 v/cm, and that the hole‐trap concentration is at least 1013 cm−3. The acceptor electrode used does not form ohmic contact to crystals of naphthalene and diphenyl; an explanation for this is proposed. Some theoretical aspects of ohmic contact formation ...

852 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors measured the currentvoltage and electroluminescence characteristics of single-heterojunction, vacuum-deposited organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) over a wide range of materials, temperatures, and currents.
Abstract: We measure the current–voltage and electroluminescencecharacteristics of single‐heterojunction, vacuum‐deposited organic light‐emitting devices(OLEDs) over a wide range of materials, temperatures, and currents. We find that the current is limited by a large density of traps with an exponential energy distribution below the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. The characteristic trap depth is 0.15 eV. Furthermore, in metal–quinolate‐based devices,electroluminescence originates from recombination of Frenkel excitons, and its temperature dependence is consistent with the excitons being formed by Coulombic relaxation of the trapped electrons with holes injected from the counter electrode. By semiempirical molecular orbital modeling, we find that the trap distribution obtained from the current–voltage characteristics is consistent with a distribution in the metal–quinolate molecular conformations which result in a continuous, exponential distribution of allowed states below the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. We discuss the implications of the intrinsic relationship between electroluminescence and current transport in OLEDs for the optimization of efficiency and operating voltage in these devices.

824 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the optical and electrical properties of FAPbX3 (where X = Br − and I = I −) single crystals were investigated, and it was shown that the single crystals exhibited a 5-fold longer carrier lifetime and 10-fold lower dark carrier concentration than those of MAPbBr3 single crystals.
Abstract: State-of-the-art perovskite solar cells with record efficiencies were achieved by replacing methylammonium (MA) with formamidinium (FA) in perovskite polycrystalline films. However, these films suffer from severe structural disorder and high density of traps; thus, the intrinsic properties of FA-based perovskites remain obscured. Here we report the detailed optical and electrical properties of FAPbX3 (where X = Br– and I–) single crystals. FAPbX3 crystals exhibited markedly enhanced transport compared not just to FAPbX3 polycrystalline films but also, surprisingly, to MAPbX3 single crystals. Particularly, FAPbBr3 crystals displayed a 5-fold longer carrier lifetime and 10-fold lower dark carrier concentration than those of MAPbBr3 single crystals. We report long carrier diffusion lengths—much longer than previously thought—of 6.6 μm for FAPbI3 and 19.0 μm for FAPbBr3 crystals, the latter being one of the longest reported values in perovskite materials. These findings are of great importance for future inte...

665 citations