Exciton vs Self-Trapped Exciton

  • Thread starter Gonzolo
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In summary, Excitons and Self-Trapped Excitons are two types of electron-hole pairs that can form in semiconductors. Excitons are bound states of an electron and hole, while Self-Trapped Excitons involve an electron becoming localized at a defect in the material. Excitons have longer lifetimes and can travel further than Self-Trapped Excitons, making them important for optoelectronic applications. However, Self-Trapped Excitons are more stable and can be manipulated to emit light in a controlled manner, making them useful for light-emitting devices. Overall, both Excitons and Self-Trapped Excitons play important roles in the behavior and properties of semiconductors.
  • #1
Gonzolo
Why would anyone bother with the adjective "Self-Trapped" for an exciton and quote the abbreviation "STE"? Are they identically the same thing or not?
 
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  • #2
They are different. They can propagate or not. I could not tell much. See for instance :
"Free, quasifree, momentarily trapped, and self-trapped exciton states in molecular crystals", Singh, Jai; Matsui, A., Physical Review B (Condensed Matter), Volume 36, Issue 11, October 15, 1987, pp.6094-6098.
 

1. What is an exciton?

An exciton is a bound state of an electron and a hole in a solid material, typically a semiconductor. It is considered a quasiparticle, meaning it behaves like a particle but is actually a collective excitation of many particles.

2. What is a self-trapped exciton?

A self-trapped exciton is an exciton that is localized or confined in a specific region within a crystal lattice due to defects or impurities in the material. This localization causes the exciton to become more stable and have a longer lifetime compared to a regular exciton.

3. What is the difference between an exciton and a self-trapped exciton?

The main difference is that an exciton is a mobile, delocalized quasiparticle, while a self-trapped exciton is a localized, immobile quasiparticle. Additionally, self-trapped excitons have a longer lifetime and exhibit different optical and electronic properties compared to regular excitons.

4. How are excitons and self-trapped excitons studied?

Excitons and self-trapped excitons can be studied using various techniques such as spectroscopy, microscopy, and theoretical modeling. These techniques allow scientists to observe and manipulate the properties and behaviors of these quasiparticles in different materials.

5. What are the potential applications of excitons and self-trapped excitons?

The study of excitons and self-trapped excitons has potential applications in optoelectronics, energy harvesting, and quantum computing. These quasiparticles can also be used to study the properties of materials and understand their behavior at the nanoscale.

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