Determination of the Bulk Conductivity of III–V Semiconductors in a Strong Constant Electric Field and under Harmonic Effects

Abstract

Currently, devices in the region of the microwave and extremely high frequency (EHF) ranges are being developed using the nonlinear properties of the bulk of III–V semiconductors, which manifest themselves under high electric fields. The formation processes of solitons and domains at various strength levels are studied in detail. Herewith, the question on the development of models convenient for practical application, which describe the behavior of carriers under the mentioned conditions, and on determination of the output parameters of the chip structure for use in equivalent device circuits remains poorly investigated. A phenomenological approach to heating processes in the bulk of III–V semiconductors etc. is considered in this work. A method for calculating the microwave and EHF conductivity based on solving equations of heating and carrier drift in strong electric fields and the simulation of processes occurring under the effect of a weak-intensity alternating field on the bulk of semiconductor structures under study is proposed. Analytical frequency dependences of the conductivity amplitude and phase illustrating the possibility of implementing the generation mode are derived. The quasi-time-independent I–V characteristic for the fundamental harmonic of the output signal is analyzed. The calculated amplitude–frequency and phase–frequency characteristics of the conductivity enable selection of the necessary constant field strength providing the required device operating mode for bulk semiconductor structures in the specified frequency range. The equation for the current density of hot carriers enables analytical determination of the amplitude ranges of the first (fundamental) harmonics of the output current at a specific frequency depending on the voltage amplitude.