Transversal photovoltage in heterostructure and Schottky contact

Abstract

We have investigated the transverse photovoltage generated in semiconductor heterostructures by a modulated illumination. A complicated form of the photovoltage spectral curves for the Ge-GaAs heterostructure and NbN-GaAs Schottky contact is determined by the interaction between photocurrents flowing in the bulk and near interfaces. An additional unmodulated illumination of the samples changes the interaction between the photocurrents. This leads to modification of the photovoltage spectral curves. An analysis of their features enables one to obtain the characteristics of the interface uniformity in composite semiconductor structures.