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The radiative recombination coefficient B in crystalline bulk silicon is enhanced by the Coulomb attraction between electrons and holes. This effect is weakened at high carrier densities due to screening. We measure the resulting dependence of B on the free-carrier density (i) by reinterpreting published data and (ii) with photoluminescence and photovoltaic measurements. We calculate the Coulomb enhancement by determining the electron-hole pair correlation function at zero interparticle distance, assuming a Debye interaction potential. Both bound and scattering state contributions are fully taken into account. Due to screening, B decreases with increasing free-carrier density.

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