Surface conductivity of cuprous-oxide rectifiers

The physical nature of the surface conductivity of cuprous-oxide rectifiers, the existence of which was indicated by the authors (Fizika tverdogo tela,2, 857, 1960) is investigated. It is shown that this effect is not caused by surface conductivity of the cuprous oxide, but is due to the presence of a conduction channel along the edge of the p-n junction. The effect of humidity and the vapors of various liquids on the surface conductivity of rectifiers is investigated. The results obtained are discussed and a mechanism to explain the presence of a conduction channel at the p-n junction of cuprous-oxide rectifiers is suggested.The authors gratefully acknowledge their indebtedness to S. M. Margolin and M. A. Mishin for making available the rectifiers used in the investigation.