REVERSIBILITY OF THE LIGHT-INDUCED SATURATION AND ANNEALING OF DEFECTS IN A-SIH

Results on the reversibility of the light-induced saturation and dark- and light-annealing of the deep-level defects in a-S:H films are presented. The value of the saturated defect density (N(sat)) in three samples obtained after initial light-soaking was observed to decrease upon cyclic light-annealing and saturation. This drop in N(sat) was observed in two samples after the second illumination while in another sample the drop was observed only after a series of experiments carried out to determine the temperature dependence of N(sat). Both light and elevated temperature are responsible for the observed decrease in N(sat). Annealing in the dark at 25-degrees-C and light-induced annealing at 35-degrees-C also were observed.