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Impact Ionisation and Quantum Efficiency in InSb
Author(s) -
Beattie A. R.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.2221110115
Subject(s) - ionization , conduction band , electron , impact ionization , atomic physics , electric field , perturbation theory (quantum mechanics) , yield (engineering) , thermal conduction , physics , ion , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
Transition rates for impact ionisation initiated by a) a conduction electron, b) a light hole, and c) double impact ionisation by a conduction electron are calculated using time‐dependent perturbation theory. The relative yields of secondary carriers produced by these processes, taking into account the relative numbers of primary carriers created and the loss of light holes by various transitions from the heavy hole band, are evaluated. It is shown that while process b) is a major contributor to the quantum yield along with a), it is unlikely that c) has an appreciable effect. It is also suggested that b) may provide a small contribution to electric field induced impact ionisation, particularly in p‐type material.