MINORITY-CARRIER LIFETIME IN P-TYPE (111)B HGCDTE GROWN BY MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY

Measurements of electron lifetime have been carried out on unintentionally doped layers of (111)B Hg1-xCdxTe (0.216<x<0.320), p-type as-grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. The temperature dependence of the bulk lifetime is explained in terms of the Shockley-Read recombination mechanism for the extrinsic region. The samples have shown a deep level close to midgap. The surface recombination seen in two of the samples is accounted for. Some samples show clearly Auger-limited recombination at high temperatures. From the values of τn0 and τp0 of two samples the trap level appears to have a donorlike character.