A comparison of avalanche breakdown probabilities in semiconductor materials

Authors: J. S. Ng1; C. H. Tan1; J. P. R. David1

Source: Journal of Modern Optics, Volume 51, Numbers 9-10, 15 June-10 July 2004 , pp. 1315-1321(7)

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd

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Abstract:

Using a hard dead space impact ionization model, the dependence of breakdown probabilities on overbias ratio in single photon avalanche diodes is investigated theoretically in a variety of semiconductor materials for the simple case of constant electric field, that is, in a p+-i-n+ diode structure. By using avalanche widths of 2 µm, the effects of dead space are minimized so that the breakdown probability results are determined primarily by the enabled ionization coefficients of the materials. The results illustrate how the slope of breakdown probability with overbias ratio is affected by the enabled ionization coefficients ratio and by the field dependences of ionization coefficients, which should be taken into account when choosing semiconductor materials for single photon avalanche diodes.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/09500340410001670848

Affiliations: 1: Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering Mappin Building Mappin Street Sheffield S1 3JD UK, Email: j.s.ng@sheffield.ac.uk

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