electron trap

In physics, an electron trap is a location within a solid, such as a semiconductor or insulator, that restricts the movement of electrons and holes. These traps are typically caused by chemical impurities or imperfections in the solid's atomic structure.1

Traps can capture and hold electrons or holes, preventing them from recombining. The trapped charges can be released by adding energy, like through light or heat. This property is crucial in processes like photoconduction and luminescence, and it's utilized in technologies such as thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). In TLDs, radiation creates electron-hole pairs, which are then trapped. When the material is heated, the trapped charges are released, emitting light proportional to the radiation dose received.12