The effect of electron-phonon interaction on the formation of reverse currents of p-n-junctions of silicon-based power semiconductor devices

•The article investigates the influence of the electron-phonon interaction on the magnitude of the reverse current of power semiconductor devices.•Deep centers of molecular nature take place in silicon devices.•They appear due to the presence of a high concentration of oxygen and silicon vacancies.•These defects can interact, which leads to the appearance of quasi-molecules in the bulk of silicon. Electronic transitions are accompanied by interaction with phonons.•The probability of such transitions increases strongly with this interaction.•This phenomenon is the cause of the increase in reverse currents of power devices.•The author explains this current increase, obtains theoretical expressions for the probability of electron transitions from the molecular center to the allowed zone, develops methods for determining the parameters of molecular centers using experimental current-voltage characteristics, and creates algorithms for calculating the magnitude of reverse currents, which describe experimental data well.•The author has calculated the parameters of molecular recombination centers, which have a dominant effect on the lifetime of charge carriers in power semiconductor devices. The article represents the physical processes and mechanisms that accompany the work of the real p-n-junction. The nature of the reverse and forward currents of p-n-junctions is studied as the basis for the operation of these devices. The new model of recombination in space charge region of p-n-junction has been developed. This model made it possible to develop a new method for processing current-voltage characteristics and determining the parameters of recombination centers in semiconductor devices including electron-phonon interaction parameters. The probability of electronic transitions is calculated. It takes into account the electron-phonon interaction and explains the rapid build-up of reverse currents as the applied voltage increases. The mechanisms of formation of the reverse current of the p-n-junction were discussed and it was concluded that the current is determined by the generation with the participation of deep centers and electron-phonon interaction.