# Life Time and Defects

| A first few curves showing the relation of the minority carrier life time and point defects More to come in due time
|  | Shown below is the life time as a function of the doping (or resistivity) for otherwise perfect crystal. This is the ultimate life time achievable - it can only get worse if crystal defects are added.
|  | Gold - an interstitial impurity atom in Si - is known to be a potent "life time killer" like many heavy metals. This is the reason why jewelry, watches, make-up (often containing heavy metals) are absolutely forbidden in clean rooms.
|  | The curve below shows that minute amounts are sufficient to degrade the life time far below the level dictated by doping alone.

With frame

2.2.3 Life Time and Diffusion Length

2.3.3 Shockley-Read-Hall Recombination

© H. Föll (Semiconductors - Script)