What is minority carrier lifetime?

The minority carrier lifetime is defined as the average time it takes an excess minority carrier to recombine. It is strongly dependent on the magnitude and type of recombination processes in the semiconductor.

How is lifetime minority carrier calculated?

The following calculator provides a way of converting between lifetime and diffusion length using more familiar units. The diffusivity can be found in the appendices. Minority carrier lifetime, τb= µsec Minority Carrier Diffusivity, D = cm²/s.

What is carrier lifetime measurement?

A definition in semiconductor physics, carrier lifetime is defined as the average time it takes for a minority carrier to recombine. The process through which this is done is typically known as minority carrier recombination. Carrier lifetime plays an important role in bipolar transistors and solar cells.

What is majority carrier lifetime?

The majority carrier recombination lifetime is the same as the minority carrier recombination lifetime. The majority carrier generation time is the relaxation time of the semiconductor, and is generally in the range of a ps; it depends upon the semiconductor resistivity and its permittivity.

What is recombination lifetime?

The carrier lifetime (recombination lifetime) is defined as the average time it takes an excess minority carrier to recombine. As mentioned in the previous section, three recombination mechanisms – band-to-band, trap-assisted (or SRH) and Auger recombinations – determine the recombination lifetime.

What is bulk lifetime?

Bulk Lifetime, τbulk = µsec. The dependence of the minority carriers lifetime from their concentration and semiconductor doping level for n- and p-type silicon. You can copy data from the graph to the clipboard clicking the “Get Data” button. 1.

What is a minority carrier?

noun. the entity responsible for carrying the lesser part of the current in a semiconductorCompare majority carrier.

How is majority carrier lifetime calculated?

All Answers (3)

  1. The lifetime of majority carriers t can be calculated, if the mobility µ and the corresponding bandmass m are known: t = m*µ/e.
  2. with e as carrier charge.
  3. with ni the intrinsic carrier concentration, n the electron and p the hole concentration.
  4. R.

What is carrier lifetime silicon?

The minority carrier “lifetime” (τ) measures how long a carrier is likely to stay around for before recombining and is one of the most important parameters for the characterization of semiconductor wafers used in the preparation of power electronic devices and photovoltaic solar cells.

What is bulk recombination?

Definition. bulk recombination, electron-hole recombination in the bulk of the substrate, i.e. in its portion away from the surfaces; dominant recombination mechanisms are different than in the case of surface recombination.

Which carrier is the minority carrier?

Electrons are the more abundant, or majority, carrier in n-type materials, holes being the less abundant, or minority, carrier. In p-type materials, however, holes are the majority carrier, and electrons the minority carrier.