Electron-hole recombination in bismuth below 20°K

We obtained a measure for τR, the electron-hole recombination time in bismuth, from 2-20°K. The value of τR at 4.8°K is 6 × 10-9 sec and decreases exponentially as the temperature increases with an activation energy of 42°K. The results were obtained from measurements of the Acoustomagnetoelectric effect (AME) at 11.3 and 29.5 Mc. An ancillary result is a T-2 dependence for the trigonal hole mobility above 8°K. © 1966.