Observation of a bistable defect generated and activated by heat treatments in irradiated high resistivity silicon detectors

Systematic investigations of transient effects in the depletion voltage of radiation damaged silicon detectors after heat treatments have been performed. Experimental results on the change of the depletion voltage induced by forward bias, illumination or further heat treatments are presented. The observed change as function of time and temperature is discussed in terms of the generation, activation and annihilation of a bistable defect.