Z-pinch dynamics under the combined breakdown in bismuth-antimony alloys

Time scans of the electric field in n-Bi_0.9Sb_0.1 samples are calculated under the impact ionization for various field orientations with respect to the crystal axes (the conditions of current given). The strong anisotropy of the pinch characteristics in the electron-hole plasma of such alloys is shown to be caused by the joint effect of the hole mobility anisotropy in the T-valley and the combined breakdown, the impact ionization being produced both by the external electric field and the Hall field. The magnitude of the latter is governed by the proper magnetic field of the current. The results explain the experimental data of Brandt et al. [1] who have observed the dynamical characteristics of the pinch in the above mentioned alloys to be strongly anisotropic.     

Combined breakdown in bismuth—Antimony semiconductor alloys

S-shaped current-voltage characteristics for Bi_1?xSb_x alloys are studied theoretically and experimentally. The phenomenon is shown to occur due to the combined interband breakdown, the impact ionization being caused both by the external electric field and the Hall field. The latter is governed by the proper magnetic field of the plasma current. The negative differential resistance (NDR) occurs for the range of currents where the impact ionization is growing intensively but the pinch effect is not yet developed to full extent. The phenomenon is enhanced if the impact ionization rate in the Hall field is greater than in the applied one.     

First-order hyperpolarizability of ZnS nanocrystal quantum dots studied by hyper-Rayleigh scattering

Hyper-Rayleigh scattering technique was used to measure for the first time the first-order hyperpolarizability (β) of ZnS nanocrystals with 2.5 nm mean diameter. Results show that the ‘per ZnS particle’ β value is 2.34×10⁻²⁷ esu and the ‘per ZnS formula unit’ β value is 1.63×10⁻²⁸ esu. An increase by at least two orders of magnitude in the β value per ZnS formula unit is found when compared with bulk ZnS. Two possible contributions originating from nanocrystal surface electric field and solvent field were experimentally excluded. Other two contributions, bulk-like contribution and surface contribution, are considered. Especially, the latter is emphasized due to the special surface structure of nanocrystals.     

ZnS:Mn.Cu粉末直流电致发光(DCEL)屏的光电导特性

本文首次研究了DCEL屏的光电导特性,结果表明,Zn:Mn.Cu粉末DCEL屏的光电导特性主要是由于DCEL屏形成过程中,因Cu⁺离子迁移而在发光区(或乏铜区)的ZnS颗粒表面形成的表面电子陷阱能级被激发所致。     

FIELD IONIZATION OF MOLECULES IN AN INTENSE LASER FIELD

In order to predict the field ionization probabilities, the accurate ab initio electrostatic potential of molecules has to be calculated. However, the calculation of the full ab initio electrostatic potential of molecules is complicated, even impossible for some larger molecules with low symmetry. Here, we present a semi-empirical model to treat the field ionization of molecules in an intense laser field. In this model, a modified Coulomb potential is used to take the place of the complicated ab initio electrostatic potential of molecules. The analytic equations of the Keldysh adiabatic parameter using the Coulomb potential and the modified Coulomb potential have first been given. Using our semi-empirical model, we have calculated the field ionization probabilities and the Keldysh adiabatic parameters of O₂, N₂, SO₂, C₂H₄, CH₃CN and C₆H₆ in an intense laser field. The results agree excellently with the calculations using the ab initio electrostatic potential of molecules. As the modified parameter for the Coulomb potential can be found from experimental measurements, the field ionization mechanism of molecules can be immediately predicted with our semi-empirical model.     

Correlation function of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays favors point sources

Closed analytical expressions for the probability of multiphoton ionization of atoms and ions by a time-varying electric field ?(t) are obtained by the imaginary time method. These expressions apply for arbitrary values of the Keldysh parameter γ. The dependence of the ionization probability and the photoelectron momentum spectrum on the shape of an ultrashort laser pulse is considered.     

Gas dynamics and thermal-ionization instability of the cathode region of a glow discharge. Part I

A model of the cathode sheath of a glow discharge is developed. The model includes the equations for calculating the non-steady-state nonequilibrium physicochemical gas dynamics, cathode temperature, and electric field. The model applies to describing the flow of a viscous, heat-conducting, moderately rarefied gas at Knudsen numbers of about Kn ∼0.03. The electric field and gas density distributions are determined consistently by renormalizing the values obtained by the Engel-Steenbeck theory. A formula for calculating the time during which a homogeneous volume discharge phase exists is proposed. The formula is based on the relation between the rates of electron production via associative ionization (A+B → AB ⁺+e) and impact ionization (A2+e → A ₂ ⁺ +e+e). Calculations are carried out for nitrogen and air. It is shown that, at high current densities, due to the dissociation and strong heating of the gas, the rate of thermal ionization becomes as high as that of electrical ionization. The calculated ionization time is in reasonable agreement with the measured duration of a uniform anomalous cathode sheath.     

The electric field gradient in heavy rare earth metals

Estimates of the electric field gradient in heavy rare earth metals have been evaluated from experimental hyperfine interaction data. In addition, the magnetic hyperfine fields are analyzed. In the metals the effective radial integrals 〈r ^?3〉_4f of the magnetic and quadrupole hyperfine interaction are reduced at most by 10% compared with the free ion values. The electric field gradients due to the crystalline field have been found to be 200 times larger than those predicted from point charge calculations. This antishielding effect can be explained by an enhanced conduction electron density at the interstitial sites and an increase of the Sternheimer factor γ_∞ in the metallic environment.     

Exact expressions for the potential functions of a molecule in terms of the probability amplitudes of electron transitions and their utilization in the inverse spectroscopic problem

The frequencies of 5s ³ S ₁-np ³ P ₁ Rydberg transitions, quantum defects for n=15–50, and energies of high-lying P states of the Zn atom were measured by three-step laser excitation with subsequent ionization by a pulsed electric field. Free Zn atoms were produced through effusion of Zn vapor from an atomizer during the thermal dissociation of ZnS molecules. The evaporation kinetics was studied, and the ZnS vapor pressure was measured by the detection of photoionic signals of Zn.     

X-Ray induced enhancement effect in electroluminescent zinc sulphides

Enhancement effect in electroluminescent emission from ZnS∶Cu, Cl and ZnS∶Cu, Mn, Cl luminophors under the concurrent action of sinusoidal electric field and x-radiation has been investigated. Variation of the enhancement ratioR=B _E+R/B_E+B_R whereB _E+R =Light output when both electric field and x-radiation are operative;B _E=Electroluminescent output;B _R=Photoluminescent output with frequency and voltage of the applied A.C. field and with x-ray intensity has been studied. A non-linear behaviour of the enhancement with voltage and x-ray intensity has been found, which is similar to that observed in the case of ultraviolet stimulated electroluminescent emission. R _max in both the species studied, is always found to be less than 4/3 in each case.     

Instabilities of electron-hole plasma under impact ionization and microwave emission

The nonlinear stage of the evolution of electron—hole plasma instabilities in semiconductors under impact ionization (static differential conductivity σ_d > 0) is considered for the case of spatially uniform pertubations of density and electric field. If the differential mobility of carriers μ _d > 0, the instability arises only with allowance for the retardation of the process of impact ionization (linear theory of this effect was developed by M. Toda [4]). When μ _d < 0, the instability may appear in the absence of the retardation. Both these instabilities exhibit oscillating form and are due to h.f. negative dynamic differential conductivity. We determine time sweeps of the electric field under condition of fixed current for the case n-InSb at T = 77 K. The amplitude and the frequency (f>10¹⁰Hz) of the oscillations are evaluated and the conditions, when the shape of E(t)-oscillations is essentially non-harmonic, are determined. Microwave emission observed in semiconductors under impact ionization may have resulted from the instabilities at hand.     

Luminescent thin ZnS : Mn films

Photo-, cathodo-, β-luminescence spectra of the ZnS : Mn films and electroluminescence spectra of highly efficient d.c. diodes with SnO_x-ZnS : Mn-Cu_xS-ZnS : Mn-Al structure have been investigated. Strong dependence of intensity and structure of the luminescence band on applied voltage has been found. Results suggest that collision cannot be the only process causing luminescence of the d.c. diodes investigated. The yield of Mn luminescence in ZnS is found to be strongly electric field-dependent.     

The Effective Ionization of Air and Oxygen in a Near-Critical Electric Field at High Pressures

The effective ionization of air and oxygen at early stages of electric discharge development at medium and high pressures is analyzed. Ionization in an applied field with the participation of background electrons, electron sticking to and detachment from oxygen atoms and molecules, and recharging and conversion of negative ions is considered. The dependence of ion-molecular processes on external field is taken into account. The effective ionization value is shown to be different in constant and microwave fields. The effective air ionization values obtained in a microwave field are in agreement with the experimental data. It is shown that background electrons determine the possibility of effective ionization, whereas conversion processes determine the existence of a threshold E/N value, where E is the electric field strength and N is the density of neutral particles.     

The field fluctuational model of thermally stimulated processes in ferroelectric LiNbO3

The thermally stimulated processes in the x-irradiated LiNbO₃ crystals were studied by the fractional glow technique. The trap ionization with unusually high values of the mean activation energy and the effective frequency factor as well as decreasing the activation energy of the traps when the temperature increased from 150–180 K were observed. We suggest that all these effects are due to the ion-fluctuation process (the electric field generated by thermal reorientation of dipoles.     

Tunneling and above-barrier ionization of atoms in a laser radiation field

Calculations are made of the energy and angular distributions of photoelectrons during tunneling ionization of an atom or an ion under the action of high-power laser radiation (for all values of the Keldysh parameter γ). Cases of linear, circular, and elliptic polarizations of the electromagnetic wave are considered. The probability of above-barrier ionization of hydrogen atoms in a low-frequency laser field is calculated. Formulas are given for the momentum spectrum of the electrons when an atomic level is ionized by a general type of alternating electric field (for the case of linear polarization). An analysis is made of tunneling interference in the energy spectrum of the photoelectrons. Analytic approximations are discussed for the asymptotic coefficient C _κ of the atomic wave function at infinity (for s-wave electrons).     

Relativistic theory of tunnel and multiphoton ionization of atoms in a strong laser field

Relativistic generalization is developed for the semiclassical theory of tunnel and multiphoton ionization of atoms and ions in the field of an intense electromagnetic wave (Keldysh theory). The cases of linear, circular, and elliptic polarizations of radiation are considered. For arbitrary values of the adiabaticity parameter γ, the exponential factor in the ionization rate for a relativistic bound state is calculated. For low-frequency laser radiation , an asymptotically exact formula for the tunnel ionization rate for the atomic s level is obtained including the Coulomb, spin, and adiabatic corrections and the preexponential factor. The ionization rate for the ground level of a hydrogen-like atom (ion) with Z ? 100 is calculated as a function of the laser radiation intensity. The range of applicability is determined for nonrelativistic ionization theory. The imaginary time method is used in the calculations.     

Field dependence of a.c. Electroluminescence in ZnS: Mn,Cu, Cl film panels

Electroluminescent (EL) film panels of ZnS: Mn, Cu, Cl operated by a.c. electric field are studied at room temperature. The emission spectrum consists of a single peak at 590 nm. The EL emittance B varies with frequency f of the applied a.c. electric field as B = B_s ? B_m exp ? f/f_c where B_s, B_m and f_c are constants. This equation indicates that B approaches a saturation value B_s when f?f_c and a linear relation between B and f when f?f_c. At a fixed frequency f, B is found to depend on the applied voltage V as B = A exp [-G/F + V^{$\text{1}\text{2}$})] where A, G and F are constants. This formula is valid at all stages of the operating life of the film panel.     

Quantum well engineering of InAlAs/InGaAs HEMTs for low impact ionization applications

The performance of InAlAs/InGaAs quantum well field effect transistors are subject to high impact ionization and band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) due to its narrow bandgap feature. In this work, the energy gap is engineered using strain and quantization techniques to increase the effective energy gap leading to low impact ionization and BTBT leakage current. It is shown that the impact ionization is reduced in 5 nm channel device as compared to 13 nm device with onset at approximately E_geff/q. Also the band-to-band-tunneling current is reduced due to the increase in effective energy gap. We have also investigated the effects of quantum well engineering on the dc performance of InGaAs HEMTs.     

On the relativistic generalization of Keldysh ionization theory

Relativistic generalization of the semiclassical theory of tunnel and multiphoton ionization of atoms and ions in the field of a high-intensity electromagnetic wave (Keldysh theory) with linear and elliptic polarizations is developed. The exponential factor in the ionization rate of relativistic bound state is calculated for arbitrary values of the adiabaticity parameter γ. In the case of low-frequency laser radiation, $\gamma \ll 1$, the asymptotically exact formula is derived for the ionization rate of atomic s-level, including the Coulomb, spin and adiabatic corrections and the pre-exponential factor. The ionization rate of the ground state of a hydrogen-like atoms (ions) with $Z\lesssim 100$ is calculated, depending on laser intensity and ellipticity of radiation.     

Field injection of low-energy electrons into the ZnSe/CdSe/ZnSe heterostructure with the use of an ultra-high-vacuum tunneling microscope

The field emission injection of low-energy electrons (E _e ?? 10 eV) into the ZnSe/CdSe/ZnSe heterostructure has been considered. The probe of the ultra-high-vacuum tunneling microscope has been used as a field emitter. It has been shown that the energy of injected electrons is sufficient for impact ionization in ZnSe. The impact ionization creates a high concentration of nonequilibrium carriers in the near-surface ZnSe layer. The transport of nonequilibrium carriers in the heterostructure under study has been simulated. The electric field of the near-surface space charge and surface recombination have been taken into account. The calculation has demonstrated that filling the active region of CdSe with nonequilibrium carriers is highly efficient.