Lifetime distribution of PL under pulsed excitation in hydrogenated amorphous silicon based films

Abstract Nanosecond processes of photoluminescence (PL) in a-Si:H based films have been studied using a tunable pulse laser illuminating samples at temperature of 10 K. The distribution of lifetimes of the PL has a component in the nanosecond region. The nanosecond component becomes largest in a-Si 1− x :N x :H alloys, a-Si:H/a-Si 1− x :N x :H multilayers and band-edge modulated a-Si 1− x :N x :H films. In the case of sub-bandgap excitation the nanosecond component is largest. The results are explained in terms of the singlet exciton model.