Band-to-band impact ionization by hot electrons and holes is an important process in high-field transport in semiconductors, leading to carrier multiplication and avalanche breakdown. Here we perform first principles calculations for the respective microscopic scattering rates of both electrons and holes in various wide band gap semiconductors. The impact ionization rates themselves are calculated directly from the electronic band structure derived from empirical pseudopotential calculations for cubic GaN, ZnS, and SrS. In comparison with the electron rates, a cutoff in the hole rate is found due to the relatively narrow valence bandwidths in these wide band gap semiconductors, which correspondingly reduces hole initiated carrier multiplication.
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15 October 1999
Research Article|
October 15 1999
Hole initiated impact ionization in wide band gap semiconductors
Martin Reigrotzki;
Martin Reigrotzki
Fachbereich Physik, Universität Rostock, Universitätsplatz 3, D-18051 Rostock, Germany
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Ronald Redmer;
Ronald Redmer
Fachbereich Physik, Universität Rostock, Universitätsplatz 3, D-18051 Rostock, Germany
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Niels Fitzer;
Niels Fitzer
Fachbereich Physik, Universität Rostock, Universitätsplatz 3, D-18051 Rostock, Germany
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Stephen M. Goodnick;
Stephen M. Goodnick
Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-5706
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Manfred Dür;
Manfred Dür
Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-5706
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Wolfgang Schattke
Wolfgang Schattke
Institut für Theoretische Physik, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Leibnizstrasse 15, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
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J. Appl. Phys. 86, 4458–4463 (1999)
Article history
Received:
March 15 1999
Accepted:
July 01 1999
Citation
Martin Reigrotzki, Ronald Redmer, Niels Fitzer, Stephen M. Goodnick, Manfred Dür, Wolfgang Schattke; Hole initiated impact ionization in wide band gap semiconductors. J. Appl. Phys. 15 October 1999; 86 (8): 4458–4463. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.371386
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