2002/08/30 by S. Picozzi, Silvia Picozzi, Ryoji Asahi +4
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Atomic physics #Auger #Auger effect #Computational physics #Detailed balance #Fermi level #Formalism (music) #Impact ionization #Ion #Ionization #Materials science #Optoelectronics #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Semiconductor #Semiconductor materials and devices #Semiconductor materials and interfaces #Statistical physics #Surface and Thin Film Phenomena #cond-mat.mtrl-sci
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.89.197601
Phys. Rev. Lett. accepted
arxiv created 2002/08/30 · openalex publication_date 2002/10/21 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The technologically important prediction of Auger recombination lifetimes in semiconductors is addressed by means of a fully first-principles formalism, based on precise energy bands and wave functions provided by the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave code. The minority carrier Auger lifetime is determined by two related approaches: (i) a direct evaluation within Fermi's golden rule, and (ii) an indirect evaluation, based on a detailed balance formulation combining Auger recombination and its inverse process, impact ionization, in a unified framework. Lifetimes determined with the direct and indirect methods show excellent consistency between them (i) for n-doped GaAs and (ii) with measured values for GaAs and InGaAs. This indicates the computational formalism as a new sensitive tool for use in materials performance optimization.