Title: Is an illuminated semiconductor far from thermodynamic equilibrium?
Abstract: Processes occurring in an irradiated semiconductor are discussed with respect to entropy production and thermal and chemical equilibria. Entropy is produced in the thermalization of electrons and holes and by their non-radiative recombination. As a consequence, there is no thermal and chemical equilibrium of electrons and holes with the incident photons and no chemical equilibrium with the phonons. Thermal and chemical equilibrium exists, however, of electrons and holes with the emitted photons, which allows to derive their spectrum from concepts of reversible thermodynamics.
Publication Year: 1995
Publication Date: 1995-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 13
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