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A self-consistent calculation of the barrier height and of the effective recombination velocity at the interface between a metallic precipitate and a semiconductor matrix has been performed within the Read–Hall–Shockley framework. The procedure has taken account of the bending of the minority carrier quasi-Fermi level across the precipitate space-charge region and in the quasineutral region assuming the rigid displacement of the bands. The interface energy states are considered to have a monoenergetic distribution in two limiting cases including the half-filled-level model. The recombination has been investigated versus the semiconductor parameters (doping concentration, defect concentration.) and the temperature. The precipitate size has a dramatic effect on recombination. This is due to the enhancement of the surface charge density on the metallic precipitate which increases as σch(R)=σ∞ch+A/Rα when the size decreases. However, the surface charge density reaches at small size a limiting value controlled by the defect concentration. The enhancement of the surface charge density tends to reach significant barrier height up to precipitate sizes of 150 Å. The continuity equation around the precipitate has been solved in the case of a low-level electron beam injection in order to determine the electron beam induced current contrast at the interface. The contrast has been investigated versus the size for different defect concentrations, incident beam energies, and for the two kinds of defect distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which performed a self-consistent calculation of the barrier height and of the effective recombination velocity at a dislocation. Analysis of the dislocation barrier height and of the effective recombination velocity; Discussion on the bending of the minority carrier quasi-Fremi level; Results of electron beam induced current and cathodoluminescence contrast for a dislocation perpendicular to the collecting surface.