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We apply Kirchhoff’s generalised law for the analysis of the luminescence from crystalline silicon structures. We demonstrate its validity for crystalline silicon by the comparison between experimental and theoretical photolumines

R. BRÜGGEMANN1,* , J. BEHRENDS1, S. MEIER1, S. TARDON1

Affiliation

  1. Institut für Physik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany

Abstract

We apply Kirchhoff’s generalised law for the analysis of the luminescence from crystalline silicon structures. We demonstrate its validity for crystalline silicon by the comparison between experimental and theoretical photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectra for different temperatures and different sample geometries. The band-to-band recombination coefficient, determined from photoluminescence results, decreases slightly above room-temperature with increasing temperature. The electroluminescence efficiency also decreases with increasing temperature and depends strongly on the saturation current density of the silicon diode. The absorptivity term in Kirchoff’s generalised law determines both the shape and the height of the luminescence spectra. Transfer of the ideal-diode concept, in which the quasi-Fermi level splitting is directly related to the applied voltage, to real semiconductor pn diodes leads to erroneous conclusions. Especially at lower voltages, the quasi-Fermi level splitting can be much larger than expected from the applied voltage..

Keywords

Crystalline silicon, Band-to-band recombination coefficient, Quasi-Fermi level, Photoluminescence, Electroluminescence.

Submitted at: Nov. 28, 2006
Accepted at: Jan. 15, 2007

Citation

R. BRÜGGEMANN, J. BEHRENDS, S. MEIER, S. TARDON, We apply Kirchhoff’s generalised law for the analysis of the luminescence from crystalline silicon structures. We demonstrate its validity for crystalline silicon by the comparison between experimental and theoretical photolumines, Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials Vol. 9, Iss. 1, pp. 77-83 (2007)