Computation of photoconductivity in insulators in the space charge and recombination regime: Application to PbO films

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Abstract
Exact solutions for the photoconductivity of insulators with space charge (caused by deep trapping) and recombination require numerical methods for solving coupled, nonlinear differential equations. A method for obtaining computer solutions is outlined and the parameters required for fitting existing data for the photoconductor PbO are given. The carrier lifetimes are found to be much longer than previously assumed and the recombination coefficients for free with trapped carriers are found to be very large, close to diffusion controlled. The predictions for the time required to achieve steady state were found to be unexpectedly long, a result of the feedback between trapping and recombination.