Theory of Second‐Order Auger Recombination in Strong Degenerate Small‐Gap Semiconductors Application to PbSSe

A theory to estimate the efficiency of second‐order Auger processes in strongly degenerate systems ( T → 0 K) is developed, whereby a parabolic isotropic band structure model is adapted to PbS 0.1 Se 0.9 . The calculation of the net recombination rate refers to a range of doping and excitation concentration where first‐order Auger processes are strongly reduced or, in the zero temperature limit, are even forbidden. The numerically calculated small‐signal lifetime for a semiconductor with the doping concentration N D = 10 17 cm −3 has the order of magnitude ≈ 10 −6 s.