Title :
Avalanche multiplication in sub-micron AlxGa1-x As/GaAs heterostructures
Author :
Chia, C.K. ; David, J.P.R. ; Rees, G.J. ; Plimmer, S.A. ; Hopkinson, M. ; Grey, R. ; Robson, P.N.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electron. & Electr. Eng., Sheffield Univ., UK
Abstract :
The electron and hole multiplication characteristics (Me and Mh respectively) in thin (w~0.1 μm) Al xGa1-xAs(500 Å)/GaAs(500 Å) heterostructures, with 0.3⩽×⩽0.6, in a p-i-n configuration have been determined experimentally. At low electric fields, Me and Mh are very different as they are primarily determined by the ionisation characteristic of the latter half material, in the directions of their transport, due to dead space effects. However as the electric field increases the feedback of the opposite carrier type causes ionisation in the other half of the structure as well. Eventually Me and Mh become similar and converge to that of the equivalent alloy
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; avalanche breakdown; gallium arsenide; semiconductor heterojunctions; 0.1 mum; 500 A; AlxGa1-xAs/GaAs; AlGaAs-GaAs; avalanche multiplication; dead space effects; electric field effects; electron multiplication characteristics; hole multiplication characteristics; ionisation characteristic; p-i-n configuration; sub-micron heterostructures; Capacitance-voltage characteristics; Charge carrier processes; Diodes; Doping; Gallium arsenide; Lithography; Optical modulation; Optical sensors; Semiconductor process modeling; Statistics;
Conference_Titel :
Compound Semiconductors, 1997 IEEE International Symposium on
Conference_Location :
San Diego, CA
Print_ISBN :
0-7503-0556-8
DOI :
10.1109/ISCS.1998.711669
