Transient Photoconductivity Effects in an Insulator-Semiconductor Powder System

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Abstract
An investigation of transient photoconductivity effects associated with semiconductor particles suspended in a transparent insulator has been carried out. II‐VI compound crystalline solid solutions of CdSxSe1−x and CdSeyTe1−y were used as the photoconductors and poly (N‐vinyl carbazole), PVK, as the transport medium, or matrix. Interparticle distances (∼ 5 μ) were large compared with particle diameters (∼ 1 μ). Transient photoconductivity as well as xerographic discharge measurement techniques were employed to study the quantum yield of the system as a function of applied electric field, wavelength of the incident radiation, temperature, and certain surface parameters of the components. Ideal geometry samples, consisting of single‐crystal semiconductor‐PVK‐metal capacitors, were also studied to observe directly the photoemission of holes from the semiconductor into the PVK. The magnitude of the injection efficiency is found to depend upon the surface parameters of the components as well as the applied electric field. The data indicate the electric field dependence of the discharge in these systems to be due to electric field penetration of the surface of the semiconductor.

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