A direct measurement of carrier recombination, far from equilibrium, inHg0.795Cd0.205Te(Nd−Na=3.3×1014 cm−3)has been made on a picosecond time scale with a pump–probe technique using a free-electron laser. Over the range of carrier densities(5×1016–3×1017 cm−3)and at the temperatures (50–300 K) studied experimentally, contributions to the recombination from Auger, Shockley–Read–Hall, and radiative mechanisms were calculated using an analytic approximation, with carrier degeneracy included, Auger-1 (CCCH) recombination rates were calculated, which also gave the Auger-7 (CHHL) rates via a simple relationship. Excellent agreement was obtained, with Auger-1 dominant at all temperatures and, significantly, forT>225 Kwhen the sample is intrinsic, the Auger-7 contribution was found to be important. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.