Piiotoelectronic Proiioerties Of Amorpiious Silicon/Silicon Oxide Heterostructures

A glow-discharge deposited a-Si:H/insulator heterostructu re has been characterized by a range of measurements including optical absorption, internal photoemission, xerographic discharge and spectral dependence of photoconductivity. Efficient injection of photocarriers from a-Si:H into, and transport through, films of SiOx:N:H up to 10 μm thick has been achieved. Unlike the conventional thermal oxide on Si, no significant energy barrier to injection is fotInd in the plasma deposited heterostructure. The use of the structure as a potential xerographic device is demonstrated. A mobility lifetime product as high as 6 x 10 -10 cm 2 /volt is found for electronsin the SiO x :N:H.