trap depth

In physics, a trap is a location within a solid, such as a semiconductor or insulator, that restricts the movement of electrons and holes. These traps are caused by chemical impurities or atomic imperfections in the solid's structure. Traps can capture and hold charge carriers, preventing them from recombining. The energy required to free a charge from a trap is known as the trap depth. This depth is crucial in applications like thermoluminescent dosimeters, where traps are intentionally created to store energy from radiation. Releasing these trapped charges, often by heating, allows for the measurement of the absorbed radiation dose.12