Contribution of photogenerated charge carriers to photothermal effect in optically opaque semiconductor samples

Abstract

As a consequence of laser radiation absorption, the photothermal response of semiconductors is governed by both the thermalization of the crystal lattice and the dynamics of photogenerated charge carriers. This carrier-related contribution leaves a characteristic signature in the temperature field through carrier diffusion and recombination, making the photothermal response sensitive to electronic transport and recombination properties. This sensitivity provides the basis for using photothermal methods to characterize the electronic properties of semiconductors. In this paper, we develop a theoretical model of the photothermal response of moderately doped opaque semiconductors under harmonically modulated laser excitation, accounting for the generation, diffusion, and recombination of minority charge carriers. We analyze how carrier lifetime, diffusion length, and surface recombination velocity affect the resulting temperature field and, consequently, the photothermal signal. In particular, we show that the thermal contribution associated with carrier recombination remains nonzero even when the surface recombination rate vanishes and for short carrier lifetimes, demonstrating that the signature of photogenerated carriers may persist under conditions where their contribution might otherwise be expected to become negligible. The results provide guidance for both the design and interpretation of photothermal and photoacoustic experiments, including the choice of modulation frequency and detection geometry, to enhance the sensitivity to carrier-related thermal signatures and improve the determination of electronic properties of semiconductor materials and devices.