Optical beam-induced current

<p>Optical beam induced current (OBIC) is a <a href="/facts/Semiconductor/zFf3mGTE">semiconductor</a> analysis technique performed using <a href="/facts/Laser/jk6PTvvT">laser</a> signal injection. The technique 
uses a scanning <a href="/facts/Laser_beam/jk6PTvvT">laser beam</a> to create <a href="/facts/Electron%E2%80%93hole_pair/2UtL6mJp">electron–hole pairs</a> in a semiconductor sample. This induces a <a href="/facts/Electric_current/Dc1xdnUX">current</a> which may be analyzed to determine the sample's properties, especially defects or anomalies.
</p><p>Conventional OBIC scans an ultrafast <a href="/facts/Laser/jk6PTvvT">laser</a> beam over the surface of the sample, exciting some <a href="/facts/Electrons/L0KBo5cW">electrons</a> into the conduction band through what is known as 'single-photon absorption'. As its name implies, single-photon absorption involves just a single <a href="/facts/Photon/mFNhAEzA">photon</a> to excite the electron into <a href="/facts/Electrical_conduction/akyCKvMy">conduction</a>. This can only occur if that single photon carries enough energy to overcome the <a href="/facts/Band_gap/IjIeh95l">band gap</a> of the semiconductor (1.12 eV for Si) and provide the electron with enough <a href="/facts/Energy/wd8PrQM7">energy</a> to make it jump into the conduction band.
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Optical beam-induced current open-in-new

Optical beam-induced current