Photoelectric properties of GaAs materials studied by pulsed laser techniques

This research thesis addressed the photoelectric properties of single-crystal or epitaxial GaAs (N doped or P doped) materials. The objective is to characterize and to improve the electric quality of these materials and associated components, notably for the production of high performance solar cells for ground-based or space-based applications. More particularly, this research aimed at using an excitation by a pulsed laser to analyse recombination and trapping properties of carriers created by photo-excitation, and also at studying the effect of low doses of particle irradiation on the carrier properties. Thus, the author describes conduction characteristics of two different N-type epitaxial layers, discusses carrier excitation and recombination processes which may occur in semiconductors, and proposes an overview of trapping phenomena. Photoelectric properties of the considered epitaxial layers are then studied and discussed