The correlation effects between excitation and trapping sites after light excitation in a Li-deficient Fe-doped LiNbO3 crystal were quantitatively analyzed. They appeared as a direct consequence of the thermally activated random transport (hopping) of electrons (free polarons) by using a Monte Carlo approach. The physical consequences of those effects, not present in usual coherent band-transport analyses, were explored and considered in the light of available experimental data. In particular, non-exponential decay kinetics for the evolution of electrons trapped at antisites (small polarons) were predicted.

Site Correlation Effects in the Dynamics of Iron Impurities Fe2+/Fe3+ and Antisite Defects NbLi4+/NbLi5+ after Short-Pulse Excitation in LiNbO3. J.Carnicero, M.Carrascosa, G.García, F.Agulló-López: Physical Review B, 2005, 72[24], 245108 (7pp)