Further Consideration of Bulk Lifetime Measurement with a Microwave Electrodeless Technique

A new method for measurement of the lifetime of excess carriers in semiconductors is described. Using a steady light source and measuring changes in microwave power absorption as a function of position of the sample in a waveguide, bulk lifetime can be determined. Measurements described here were made at 9600 mc. The new technique offers the following advantages: First, the method does not require electrode attachments, thus making the preparation of the samples less difficult and the actual experiment less subject to error due to non-ohmic contacts. Second, the effects of surface recombination are made less important, thus giving a greater assurace of the evalaution of bulk lifetime.