Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2011
The occurrence of optically-induced, metastable changes in the paramagnetism in films of a-Si:H is well known. The effect was first observed with white light in powdered samples, but recent experiments with both white and monochromatic light incident on films on substrates have observed a similar effect. This optically-induced ESR appears to be stable at temperatures < 400 K. Typical inducing curves for samples with initial dark spin densities ns > 1016 spins/cm3 approach a power law behavior (ns ∼ t1 / 3) at long times. However, when the dark spin density is less than 1016 spins/cm3, the samples exhibit an inducing curve (on a log-log scale) with a continuously decreasing slope. The curve does not exhibit a unique power law behavior over an extended range of time and is at all times < t1 / 3.