Random phase model of amorphous semiconductors I. Transport and optical properties》.pdf

JOURNAL OF NoN-CRYSTALLINESOLIDS5 (1970) 17-30 © North-Holland Publishing Co. R A N D O M P H A S E M O D E L O F A M O R P H O U S S E M I C O N D U C T O R S I. TRANSPORT AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES NORMAN K. HINDLEY Research and Development Laboratories, Coming Glass Works, Corning,New York 14830, U.S.A. Received 19 January 1970 A model is studied which assumes that, in the conducting states of an amorphous semi- conductor, the phase of the probability amplitude for finding an electron on a particular atomic site varies randomly from atom to atom. This random phase model is used to calculate the conductivity, thermopower, and optical absorption. Experimental data on conductivity and thermopower are analyzed for three chalcogenide compositions. There is an upper limit on the mobility of about 20 cm2/V sec. The matrix element for an optical transition from conducting states to conducting states is shown to be equal to that from conducting states to localized states. Therefore an upper limit of the order of 1017eV-1 cm 3 can be put on the density of states in the middle of the energy gap, for some bulk semi- conducting glasses. Measurement of optical absorption of low magnitude in the infrared would make it possible to deduce the density of states as a function of energy in the gap. 1. The model In order to make clear the assumptions that go into the model to be used in this paper, let us start with the simplest considerations. The fact that the electrical conductivity is very small c o m p a r e d to that of liquid metals implies that the density of states at the Fermi l