Current Transmission Mechanisms in the Semiconductor Structure of a Photoelectric Transducer with an n+–p Junction and an Antireflection Porous Silicon Film Formed by Color Etching

Abstract

We have studied experimental samples of photoelectric transducers with an n⁺–p junction based on a silicon single crystal and an antireflection porous silicon (por-Si) film formed by color chemical etching in a HF : KMnO₄ : C₂H₅OH etcher. It is shown that for KMnO₄ oxidant concentrations of 0.025 and 0.040 M, the por-Si film growth time at which the maximal efficiency of the photoelectric transducer is reached can be substantially increased as compared to that attained using anode electrochemical etching. For investigating the current transmission mechanisms, we have measured the temperature dependence of forward- and backward-bias current–voltage branches. The existence of several current transmission mechanisms has been established. It is found that traps with activation energy distributed in a continuous range of values considerably affect the current transmission.