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107
106
,V/cm
•Where
is the electron drift velocity,
is the energy relaxation time and Te is the electron temperature .
• We have allowed for the possibility that Te may higher than
the lattice temperature T=TL, leading to the concept of hot
electrons.
- - 3kB(Te-T)/2 =0
Te=T+ (2)
We know that
(3)
• Where is the familiar low-field mobility. Equation (2)
and (3) are the two equations in Te and and can be
employed in employed in solving for these unknown.
= (4)
• In the range in which field is not too high, one field, which
explain the initial decrement in mobility, just above the field
in figure, 1.
• One can explain the current saturation at high field by
assuming that the electrons dissipate their energy by emitting
optical phonons in the lattice.
• Since these phonons have much greater energy than their
acoustic counterparts, they represent the most efficient
means for the electron to rid them of the energy gained from
the field, thus achieving steady-state conditions.
The Gunn Effect
• J.B. Gunn (May 13, 1928 – December
2, 2008), was an Egyptian born, British
physicist, who spent most of his career
in the United States.
• The Gunn effect is named after J.B.
Gunn, who made the discovery in
1963, while measuring the current of
the hot electrons in GaAs and other III-
V compounds.
• When he was measuring the current J
versus the field in n-type GaAs, he
observed an unexpected
phenomenon.
,
Cathod-
+ Anode
Time
0 0
(a)
(b)
Fig.3. (a) a graphic summary of the Gunn effect.
(b) the current J vs in GaAs showing the NDC region ( dashed curve)
An interesting fact:
E
C.B
S C= central valley
(100) C
S= satellite valley
Ex EL
C.B= conduction band
k V.B= valence band
(111)
V.B
• Since the lower valley slope is shaper then the one in upper
valley, thus electron effective mass in lower valley is lower
than that in upper valley
• So that, the mobility of electron in upper valley is less due to
the higher effective mass
(6)
The conductivity of electrons in a band is given by;
(7)
And Ohm’s law
(8)
Let’s consider J vs E curve for a sample of GaAs. For low fields,
the free electrons nc present would occupy states near C in the
central valley and for them
(9)
(10)
⇒
Where,
(12)
The ratio of is known as the differential conductivity
and represents the slope of the characteristic of the sample.
In this equation;
the terms T1 and T2 are always positive while T3 is always
negative ( is always negative).
Hence for certain fields, could be negative depending on
the values of material parameters and the magnitude of .
The fig.5, below shows for GaAs. Thus this shows the
Negative Differential Conductivity (NDC).
When the field is low, conductivity is .
When the applied field exceeds Ec, the transfer of electrons to
the satellite valley is becomes significant and the conductivity
reduces from its low field values.
B
D
Jpeak-
C
Jval
A
Em E
Vd = (14)
• .
and
⇒ (15)
• Space charge:
• Space charge is a concept in which excess electric charge is
treated as a continuum of charge distributed over a region of
space (either a volume or an area) rather than distinct point-
like charges.
• when charge carriers have been emitted from some region of
a solid—the cloud of emitted carriers can form a space charge
region if they are sufficiently spread out, - the solid can form a
space charge region.
• Space charge usually only occurs in dielectric media (including
vacuum) because in a conductive medium the charge tends to
be rapidly screened .
• The sign of the space charge can be either negative or
positive.
• This situation is perhaps most familiar in the area near a metal
object when it is heated to incandescence in a vacuum.
• Thermionic emission.
Space charge domain:
B
A
k
Fig .8, Gunn oscillation
• Owning to increased lattice spacing the electron-phonon
interaction impending the carrier motion would be smaller.
,
from
Fig. 9. Energy band diagram of a superlattice
,
• Where is the applied electric field intensity,
is the external force,
ħ is the Planck’s constant ;
• on integrating the above equation over a minizone,
we get
(19)
Or
(20)
Where denotes the Bloch frequency of oscillation.