The Band-Gap Resonant Photogeneration of Carriers in Indium Antimonide

Available from UMI in association with The British Library. This thesis is concerned with the measurement and analysis of the processes of band-gap resonant photo -generation in indium antimonide. The photo-Hall effect has been used to determine the optical absorption band edge in the range 0.01 to 100 cm^{-1} for a set of sample temperatures between 20 and 77K. The measurements have been extended at 77K to include non-linear absorption effects. Carrier generation in two-photon absorption and optical bistability have also been monitored with the photo-Hall effect. The linear absorption coefficient has been determined to be composed of three contributions, an Urbach edge, an acceptor impurity feature and a phonon assisted tail. Analysis of the form of the non-linear absorption at 77K has revealed a carrier concentration dependent saturation. The magnitude of the saturation is calculated to give a refractive cross section sigma of 1 times 10^{-18} cm^3 and is explained in terms of conduction band blocking.