Deep-defect creation and the annealing kinetics of amorphous alloys having Ge contents of below 10at% were studied by using the modulated photo-current method. Two distinct defect bands were observed, which corresponded to neutral Si and neutral Ge dangling bonds. During annealing, the Si and Ge defects competed directly with each other, thus implying the operation of a global reconfiguration mechanism. The creation kinetics indicated the usual near-1/3 power-dependence upon exposure time, for the total deep defect density, but not for either type individually.

Experimental Evidence Indicating a Global Mechanism for Light-Induced Degradation in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon. K.C.Palinginis, J.D.Cohen, S.Guha, J.C.Yang: Physical Review B, 2001, 63[20], 201203 (4pp)