Electronic properties of chemically produced silver clusters: electron trapping or hole removing?

Abstract

Recent research by several groups has identified two types of chemically produced silver cluster. All agree that one type has the ability to capture and remove photogenerated holes. The other silver cluster category purportedly traps electrons, but its sensitometric role is controversial. An attempt is made to reconcile the different viewpoints on these silver clusters by considering the various experiments in the light of a general understanding of photoproduced silver clusters. If some of the chemically produced silver clusters trap electrons, they are not P centres as normally defined. They may be shallow electron traps with no apparent sensitometric value. Alternatively, they may be very inefficient hole-removing centres.

Keywords:

• electronic properties
• silver clusters
• photogenerated holes
• electron trapping
• sensitometry
• photoconductivity