Quasi-ballistic, nonequilibrium electron distribution in inhomogeneous semiconductor structures

We report on a study of quasi-ballistic transport in deep submicron, inhomogeneous semiconductor structures, focusing on the analysis of signatures found in the full nonequilibrium electron distribution. We perform self-consistent numerical calculations of the Poisson-Boltzmann equations for a model n(+)-n(-)-n(+) GaAs structure and realistic, energy-dependent scattering. We show that, in general, the electron distribution displays significant, temperature dependent broadening and pronounced structure in the high-velocity tail of the distribution. The observed characteristics have a strong spatial dependence, related to the energy-dependence of the scattering, and the large inhomogeneous electric field variations in these systems. We show that in this quasi-ballistic regime, the high-velocity tail structure is due to pure ballistic transport, whereas the strong broadening is due to electron scattering within the channel, and at the source(drain) interfaces.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Study of an Oscillator with Two Degrees of Freedom by a Differential Analyser

Equations giving the stable amplitudes of oscillation and the conditions of stability of nil the possible modes of oscillation of an oscillator with two degrees of freedom and stabilised by a non-linearity which can be described by a third degree polynomial are given, The use of a differential analyser for the verification of these equations is illustrated. Also a method of graphically representing the transient oscillations on the analyser is described

Electron transport in sub-micron GaAs channels at 300 K

Transient velocity-field characteristics have been computed for GaAs channels having lengths of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, and 20 µm for electric fields between 1 and 50 kV/cm at 300 K. The results are compared with earlier calculations and the significant features of the computed results are discussed. It is found that the electron motion for all channel lengths and for all fields is significantly affected by collisions. The threshold field for negative differential mobility increases, and the magnitude of the differential mobility decreases with decrease in the length of the sample. The maximum steady-state velocity increases with decrease in the length and may be as high as 5.4×107 cm/s for 0.1 µm samples

Position dependence of average electron velocity in a submicrometer GaAs channel

The Monte Carlo method has been applied to obtain the average electron velocity at different positions of a submicrometer GaAs channel in the presence of a position independent electric field. Velocity-distance curves are presented for channel lengths of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 µm and for lattice temperatures of 300 and 77 K. The curves show significant effects of collisions and boundary conditions

Velocity auto-correlation and hot-electron diffusion constant in GaAs and InP

Auto-correlation functions of the fluctuations in the electron velocities transverse and parallel to the applied electric field are calculated by the Monte Carlo method for GaAs and InP at three different values of field strength which are around three times the threshold field for negative differential mobility in each case. From these the frequency-dependent diffusion coefficients transverse and parallel to the applied field and the figure of merit for noise performance when used in a microwave amplifying device are determined. The results indicate that the transverse auto-correlation function C t (s) falls nearly exponentially to zero with increasing intervals while the parallel function C p (s) falls sharply, attains a minimum and then rises towards zero. In each case a higher field gives a higher rate of fall and makes the correlation functions zero within a shorter interval. The transverses diffusion coefficient falls monotonically with the frequency but the parallel diffusion coefficient generally starts with a low value at low frequencies, rises to a maximum and then falls. InP, with a larger separation between the central and the satellite valleys, has a higher value of the low frequency transverse diffusion coefficient and a lower value of its parallel counterpart. The noise performance of microwave semiconductor amplifying devices depends mainly on the low frequency parallel diffusion constant and consequently devices made out of materials like InP with a large separation between valleys are likely to have better noise characteristics

Hot electron diffusion in CdTe

The parallel and transverse components of diffusion constants of electrons in CdTe have been computed for fields of 30, 40, and 50 kV/cm using the Monte Carlo method. Results are presented for the velocity autocorrelation function and for the ac diffusion constants for two models of energy band structure and scattering constants, used earlier in the literature. The diffusion constants as obtained from the two models are significantly different, but none are in agreement with the available experimental results