Electron initiated impact ionization in AlGaN alloys
Author(s)
Date
2002Source Title
Semiconductor Science and Technology
Print ISSN
0268-1242
Publisher
Institute of Physics
Volume
17
Issue
10
Pages
L59 - L62
Language
English
Type
ArticleItem Usage Stats
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Abstract
Detailed impact ionization (II) analysis of electrons is presented for AlGaN alloys as a vital resource for solar-blind avalanche photodiode and high power transistor applications. Necessary ingredients for the II characterization are supplied from a recent experiment on the GaN end, and a Keldysh analysis for the AlN end, of the alloy AlGaN. High-field electron dynamics are simulated using an ensemble Monte Carlo framework, accounting for all valleys in the lowest two conduction bands, obtained from accurate empirical pseudopotential band structure computations. The effect of alloy scattering on II is considered and observed to be significant. For any AlxGa1-xN alloy, the electron II coefficients are found to obey the form, A exp(-K/F), for the electric field, F.
Keywords
Aluminum alloysBand structure
Electric field effects
Electrons
Monte Carlo methods
Photodiodes
Conduction bands
Impact ionization