Generation-recombination phenomena in almost ideal silicon p-n junctions

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Abstract
A systematic analysis of static current‐voltage characteristics at variable temperatures of almost ideal siliconp‐n junctions has been carried out. This analysis shows that while in neutral region the generation and recombination mechanisms are characterized by the same lifetime, in the space‐charge region the generation lifetime may be significantly lower than the recombination lifetime: hence we infer the existence of a field‐assistance pure generation phenomenon. Evidence supporting the hypothesis that a unique center is responsible for all of the recombination phenomena is presented. This center is not related to erratic contamination, but pertains to silicon. The Shockley–Read–Hall generation‐recombination mechanism (leading to the Sah–Noyce–Shockley theory of the p‐n junction) is proved to give an unsatisfactory description of the almost ideal diode.