Steady-state photoconductivity in amorphous Ge2Sb 2Te5 films

N. Qamhieh, S. T. Mahmoud, H. Ghamlouche, M. L. Benkhedir

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Steady-state photoconductivity measurements are carried out on thermally evaporated thin films of amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5 samples in the temperature range between 323 and 243 K. The temperature dependence of the photoconductivity ensures the absence of the maximum normally observed in chalcogenides, and the photocurrent is thermally activated with activation energy slightly lower than that of the dark current value, 0.22+0.02 eV. The measured activation energies suggest recombination dominated by a trap states located at the equilibrium Fermi energy level. In the low temperature range another defect level corresponds to a deep electron trap carrier transport can be suggested which leads to low-temperature sensitisation of the photocurrent. The latter is evidenced from the γ values of approximately 1.0 in the Lux-Ampere characteristics.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1448-1451
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials
Volume10
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2008

Keywords

  • Chalcogenides
  • Defects
  • Density of states
  • Phase change materials
  • Photoconductivity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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