Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH) recombination

Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH) recombination describes carrier loss through localized defect states (traps) within the band gap. It is a trap-assisted process: an electron (or hole) is first captured into a defect state, and then recombines with a carrier of the opposite type. SRH recombination is particularly important in disordered and defective semiconductors, where traps are abundant and dominate non-radiative losses.

The standard SRH recombination rate is given by:

\[R_{\mathrm{SRH}} = \frac{np - n_{i}^{2}} {\tau_{p}(n + n_{1}) + \tau_{n}(p + p_{1})} \]

where:

• \(\tau_{n}\), \(\tau_{p}\) are the electron and hole lifetimes associated with the trap,
• \(n_{1} = N_{C} \exp\!\big(-(E_{C} - E_{t})/k_{B}T\big)\) is the effective electron density when the trap lies in equilibrium,
• \(p_{1} = N_{V} \exp\!\big(-(E_{t} - E_{V})/k_{B}T\big)\) is the corresponding hole density,
• \(E_{t}\) is the trap energy level, and \(n_{i}\) is the intrinsic carrier concentration.

In this formulation, the recombination process is described in terms of a single trap level. The SRH model is therefore widely used because it provides an analytical expression that is straightforward to evaluate and captures the essential role of defect states in recombination.

Limitations of the standard SRH model

While powerful, the standard SRH equation comes with several important limitations:

• Single-level approximation — it accounts for only one discrete trap energy, whereas real semiconductors (particularly organics and disordered systems) typically contain a broad distribution of trap states.
• No explicit electrostatics — the model treats traps as purely recombination centers. Charges temporarily captured in traps are not included in the electrostatic potential of the device, so their effect on space charge and internal fields is ignored.
• Purely recombination-focused — the expression does not describe trapping and de-trapping dynamics explicitly, only their net effect as recombination.

To overcome these limitations, one must explicitly solve the SRH formalism across a distribution of trap states, allowing both the recombination rate and the trap occupation (and thus their electrostatic contribution) to be correctly represented. This more general treatment is described here.

In OghmaNano, the standard SRH recombination term can be enabled or disabled in the Electrical parameter editor, and the lifetimes \(\tau_{n}\) and \(\tau_{p}\) can be specified by the user.