Pool-Frenkel effect and high frequency dielectric constant determination of semiconducting P2O5-Li2MoO4-Li2O and P2O5-Na2MoO4-Na2O bulk glasses

The ternary 70P₂O₅-10Li₂MoO₄-20Li₂O and 70P₂O₅-10Na₂MoO₄-20Na₂O glasses, prepared by the press-melt quenching technique, were studied at temperatures between 298 and 418 K for their high dc electric field properties. For the above purpose, the effect of a strong electric field on the dc conduction of these amorphous bulk samples was investigated using the gap-type electrode configuration. At low electric fields, the current-voltage (I — V) characteristics have a linear shape, while at high electric fields (> 10³ V/cm), bulk samples show nonlinear effects (nonohmic conduction). Current-voltage curves show increasing departure from Ohm’s law with increasing current density, leading to critical phenomena at a maximum voltage (threshold voltage), known as switching (switch from a low-conduction state to a higher-conduction state at threshold voltage). The Pool-Frenkel high-field effect was observed at electrical fields of about 10³–10⁴ V/cm; then the lowering factor of the potential barrier, the high frequency dielectric constant, and the refractive index of these glasses were determined.      

Analysis of the charge transfer mechanisms responsible for the current-voltage characteristics of Ca<Subscript>4</Subscript>Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>7</Subscript>: Eu<Superscript>3+</Superscript> single crystals

The current-voltage characteristics of Ca₄Ga₂S₇: Eu³⁺ single crystals are measured for the first time, and the processes affecting these characteristics are analyzed theoretically. It is demonstrated that Ca₄Ga₂S₇: Eu³⁺ single crystals are high-resistance semiconductors with a resistivity of ～10⁹ Ω cm and a relative permittivity of 10.55. The electrical properties of the studied materials are governed by traps with activation energies of 0.13 and 0.19 eV and a density ranging from 9.5×10¹⁴ to 2.7×10¹⁵ cm^?3. The one-carrier injection is observed in weak electric fields. In electric fields with a strength of more than 4×10³ V/cm, traps undergo thermal field ionization according to the Pool-Frenkel mechanism. At low temperatures and strong fields (160 K and 5×10⁴ V/cm), the electric current is most likely due to hopping conduction by charge carriers over local levels in the band gap in the vicinity of the Fermi level.     

Percolative transport in the vicinity of charge-order ferromagnetic transition in a hole-doped manganite

We report measurements of non-linear charge transport in epitaxial (La_1−x Pr _x )_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ thin films fabricated on (100) oriented SrTiO₃ single crystals by pulsed laser deposition. The end members of this series, namely Pr_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ and La_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ are canonical charge-ordered (CO) and ferromagnetic manganites, respectively. The onset of the CO state in Pr_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ is manifested by a pronounced insulating behavior below ∼ 200 K. The CO state remains stable even when a large (∼ 2×10⁵ V/cm) electric field is applied across the thin film samples. However, on substitution of Pr with La, a crossover from the highly resistive CO state to a state of metallic character is observed at relatively low electric fields. The current-voltage characteristics of the samples at low temperatures show hysteretic and history dependent effects. The electric field driven charge transport in the system is modelled on the basis of an inhomogeneous medium consisting of ferromagnetic metallic clusters dispersed in a CO background.     

Defect formation kinetics in alkali halides in very strong electric fields

Experimental investigations of defect formation in alkali halide crystals have been carried out over a broad range of electric fields from 10⁴ to 10⁷ V/cm with different field pulse widths. It is shown that not only the electric field strength but the length of time it is applied is important. The effect of defect formation processes on the shapes of the current-voltage and voltage-brightness characteristics of the samples was studied in the indicated field range. The defect formation mechanism in alkali halide crystals in very strong electric fields has been better defined. Tomsk State University Academy of Control Systems and Radio Electronics. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 4, pp. 3–6, April, 1997.     

Effect of ionizing irradiation on the mechanism of current passage in TlInSe<Subscript>2</Subscript> single crystals

The temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity and current-voltage characteristics of γ-irradiated TlInSe₂ single crystals with an electrical resistivity of ∼10⁸ Ω cm have been investigated. It has been established that the anomalies of the conductivity observed in weak electric fields and at low dozes of irradiation are related to the decomposition of neutral complexes containing an interstitial cation atom. In strong electric fields, a thermal-field ionization of traps occurs. The main mechanism of radiation defect formation is the formation of complexes [V _In⁻In _i ⁺], [V _Se⁻Se _i ⁻], and others with the structural defects characteristic of unirradiated crystals. The activation energy, trap concentrations, and the potential well shape near the traps have been determined.     

High-field autosolitons in an electron-hole plasma in <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-Ge

The formation of high-field thermodiffusion autosolitons was studied experimentally in a photogenerated electron-hole plasma heated up by an electric field in p-Ge samples oriented along the 〈111〉 axis at T=77 K. Measurements of the current-voltage characteristics, electric field distributions along the samples, and IR emission in the wavelength range λ=1.65–10 μm showed that the arising of an autosoliton was accompanied by the appearance of N-shaped current-voltage characteristic regions. Autosolitons were formed at electron-hole plasma concentrations n≥1×10¹⁴ cm^?3 and field strengths E≥500 V/cm. They manifested themselves as static, moving, and pulsating strata with field strengths E _as =1000–20000 V/cm and carrier temperatures T _e ≥1000 K. We also observed a turbulent electron-hole plasma state when autosolitons chaotically appeared and disappeared in the samples. The multivalley band structure of germanium influenced the dynamics of autosoliton formation; intervalley transfer of electrons in the strong field of autosolitons caused a three-step autosoliton field growth.     

Composition dependence of density of states in a-Se<Subscript>100−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Sn<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> thin films

The present paper reports the DC conductivity measurements at high electric fields in vacuum evaporated amorphous thin films of a-Se_100−x Sn _x (x = 0, 2, 4, 6) glassy alloys. Current-voltage (I–V) characteristics have been measured at various fixed temperatures. In these samples, at low electric fields, ohmic behaviour is observed. However, at high electric fields (E ∼ 10⁴ V/cm), non-ohmic behaviour is observed. An analysis of the experimental data confirms the presence of space charge limited conduction (SCLC) in the glassy materials studied in the present case. From the fitting of the data to the theory of SCLC, the density of defect states (DOS) near Fermi level is calculated. Increase in DOS with increase in Sn concentration has been found which could be correlated with the electronegativity difference between the two elements used here in making the glassy alloys. The peculiar role of the element Sn as an impurity in the pure Se glassy alloy is also discussed.      

Magneto-transport properties of silicon inversion layers at low carrier densities

Conductivity σ and magneto-resistance of n- and p-channel MOSFET's with low oxide-charge density were investigated between 1.2 K and 4.2 K and carrier concentrations between 10¹¹/cm² and 10¹²/cm². Data were taken at different source drain electric field strengths. At small source drain fields and low carrier concentrations σ showed an activated behaviour with the activation energy decreasing with increasing carrier concentration. At source drain fields of the order 1 V/cm pronounced deviations from the activated behaviour were observed. In addition, the channel current-voltage characteristics of the devices studied were nonlinear. Shubnikov-De Haas oscillations were recorded at surface carrier concentrations as low as 10¹¹/cm². The data cannot be explained with a hopping model or by the existence of a mobility edge.     

Quenching of photoconductivity by a strong electric field in tin δ-doped GaAs structures

The conductivity of GaAs structures δ-doped with tin on the vicinal and singular faces was investigated in strong electric fields up to E=10⁴ V/cm and temperatures in the range 4.2 K <T<300 K. The measurements were performed in the dark and under illumination with visible light. Long-time photoconductivity of 2D electrons with threshold T _c ≈240 K was observed in samples which were δ-doped with tin on the vicinal face. A strong electric field not only quenches photoconductivity, but also increases the resistance of the structures at temperatures T<T _c by several orders of magnitude with respect to the dark resistance. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 63, No. 5, 326–330 (10 March 1996)     

The physics of space charge instabilities and temporal chaos in extrinsic photoconductors

This paper reviews experimental and theoretical work carried out on space charge instabilities and temporal chaotic behavior in cooled extrinsic p-type Germanium photoconductors. Measured dc current-voltage (I–V) characteristics of these devices are strongly nonlinear for moderate electric fields 0.1 V/cm due to field dependence of the rates of free hole capture and impurity impact ionization. Below the threshold field for impurity breakdown, Ge samples behave like damped nonlinear oscillators, exhibiting characteristic chaotic response when driven by a time-periodic voltage. Above impurity breakdown, we observe voltage-controlled negative differential resistance (NDR) in the I–V curves accompanied by spontaneous current oscillations due to moving space charge domains with velocities 10³ to 10⁴ cm/s. Measurements are well explained by a simple rate equation model in which negative differential behavior in the impact ionization rate plays a crucial role. Related work on semiconductor chaos and possible future directions for research are also mentioned.     

Hot́ hole anisotropic effect in silicon and germanium

Anisotropic effect of the hole drift velocity in silicon and germanium has been investigated with the time of flight technique by applying the electric field parallel to the <100 and <111 crystallographic axis. The measurements were performed for electric fields ranging from 10 to 3 × 10⁴V/cm and temperatures from 40 to 200°K. The results indicate that the anisotropic effect v_d<100/v_d<111 increases with decreasing temperature and increasing electric field, and reaches a saturation value at high electric fields (? 10⁴V/cm). The maximum anisotropic effect for Ge is 1.25 at 40°K and for Si is 1.2 at 45°K. A qualitative analysis of the experimental data indicates that the anisotropic effect is due to the warped heavy-valence-band shape.     

Defect-induced electric fields in ZnS

The optical absorption edge in cubic ZnS shows both phonon- and impurity-induced effects which determine its precise shape. Applying external electric fields and measuring the shift of the absorption edge makes it also possible to compute the impurity excitonic mass which was found to be ? 0.02m₀. Comparing the edge shifts due to the impurity-induced electric fields with those due to the external fields, one finds the approximate value for the average impurity-induced field as being about 3 × 10⁴ V/cm.     

Superconducting transition temperature and low temperature resistivity in the niobium-hydrogen system

The impact-ionization rate in InSb at 300 K between 200 and 500 V/cm is found to beg(E)=210⁹ exp (–10³/E)s^–1 withE being the electric field (V/cm).We use current-voltage characteristics measured by A.C. Prior in 1957 [1]. In evaluating the impact-ionization rate we take into account Auger and linear recombination, surface generation,z-pinch compression, and doping of the sample. We also discuss the effects of ohmic heating and change in electron temperature. The rates evaluated from four independent measurements done by Prior agree reasonably well.     

Selectively dopedn-AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs heterostructures with high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas for field effect transistors

The transport properties of warm and hot electrons in selectively dopedn-Al _x Ga_1–x As/GaAs heterostructures created by electric fields up to 500 V/cm were studied by Hall effect, conductivity, and Shubnikov-de Haas measurements at lattice temperatures from 4.2 to 300 K. Hall measurements revealed a substantial decrease of electron mobility and also of sheet electron concentration at 77 K with enhanced electric field. The accelerated 2D electrons are partly scattered into the low-mobility first excited (E ₁) subband, and they are partly trapped in immobile states located in the Al_xGa_1–xAs near the interface. Consequently, two differentv(E) characteristics were obtained at 77 K. The 2D electrons populating only the lowest (E ₀) subband exhibit a velocity of v-2×10⁷ cm/s at 500 V/cm, while the averaged velocity due to all electrons reaches a value of v-1.5×10⁷cm/s at 500 V/cm. The analysis of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations and Fast Fourier transformation of the data manifested that the 2D electrons are very rapidly accelerated at 4.2 K and achieve electron temperatures much higher than the lattice temperature at electric fields as low as 1 V/cm. The major cooling process for these electrons is scattering into the low-mobilityE ₁ subband.     

Structure and composition of tungsten silicide thermal-field microprotrusions

The thermal-field microprotrusions that grow on the surface of a tungsten tip coated with silicon when the tip is heated in an electric field are investigated by a suite of field emission methods, including electron field emission, ion desorption microscopy, and the atomic-probe method. For Si coatings more than a few monolayers thick, microprotrusions are observed to grow in the field desorption regime when the tip is heated to temperatures T=1100–1200 K in an electric field with initial intensity F=5.7–8.6×10⁷ V/cm. The field at which they evaporate is 1.2–1.8×10⁸ V/cm. The set of moving spots (i.e., microprotrusions) forms rings whose collapse signals the dissolution of the thermal-field growths on the developed faces. The most interesting structures are the sharp microprotrusions that grow on the central facet of a {110} tungsten tip under certain conditions. Atomic-probe analysis of their composition reveals that they consist of tungsten trisilicide WSi₃ with a monolayer surface skin whose composition is close to WSi₂. The intense growth of these formations on an initially smooth closepacked {110} face of tungsten is evidence that reconstruction of the latter takes place under the influence of the strong field and the interaction with silicon. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 102–109 (September 1997)     

Low-temperature mobility of surface electrons and ripplon-phonon interaction in liquid helium

The low-temperature dc mobility of the two-dimensional electron system localized above the surface of superfluid helium is determined by the slowest stage of the longitudinal momentum transfer to the bulk liquid, namely, by the interaction between the surface and volume excitations of liquid helium, which decreases rapidly with the temperature. Thus, the temperature dependence of the low-frequency mobility is μ_dc ≈ 8.4 × 10⁻¹¹ n _e T ^−20/3 cm⁴ K^20/3/(V s), where n _e is the surface electron density. The relation T ^20/3 E_⊥⁻³ ≪ 2 × 10⁻⁷ between the pressing electric field (in kilovolts per centimeter) and temperature (in Kelvins) and the value ω ≲ 10⁸ T ⁵ K⁻⁵ s⁻¹ of the driving-field frequency have been obtained, at which the above effect can be observed. In particular, E _⊥ ≃ 1 kV/cm corresponds to T ≲ 70 mK and ω/2π ≲ 30 Hz.     

Donor electron in a quantum well under the influence of an electric field

The ionization energies and the polarizabilities of a donor in an isolated well of a quasi two dimensional (Q2D) GaAs/Ga_1−x Al _x As heterostructure have been obtained for different well widths including electron-lattice coupling. A wave function that properly reduces to the hydrogenic function in the limiting case has been used. For fields of the order of 10⁵ V/m, the ionization energies decrease slightly with electric fields for all well widths (10 nm to 50 nm) studied. Also for a given electric field, as the well width increases, the ionization energy decreases. For fields of the order of 10⁷ V/m and for smaller well widths (<10 nm), the ionization energy generally increases with electric field. The results also show that for electric fields of this order, no donor bound state associated with the lowest subband is possible for well widths greater than 20 nm. The polarizabilities estimated using the expression for the dipole operator show that as the well width increases, the polarizability values also increase and do not show any abnormal behaviour.     

Field-independence of thermal emission rate in Au-doped silicon

The thermal emission rate of holes, e^t_p, has been measured from dark leakage currents for the Au acceptor level in silicon diodes at different electric fields and found to be field independent for average electric fields below 10⁵V/cm.     

Low threshold field electron emission from solvothermally synthesized WO2.72 nanowires

Field emission studies of WO_2.72 nanowires synthesized by a solvothermal method have been performed in the planar diode configuration under ultra high vacuum conditions. Fowler–Nordheim plots obtained from the current-voltage characteristics follow the quantum mechanical tunneling process and a current density of ∼8.3×10⁶ μA/cm² can be drawn at an applied electric field of 2 V/μm. The field enhancement factor is 33025, while the turn-on field is only 1.4 V/μm. The emission current-time plot recorded at the pre-set value of emission current of 1 μA over a period of more than 3 h exhibits an initial increase and a subsequent stabilization of the emission current. The results reveal that the WO_2.72 nanowire emitters synthesized by the solvothermal method are promising cathode materials for practical applications.     

Nature of conduction via impurities in uncompensated silicon

The static conductivity σ(E) and photoconductivity (PC) at radiation frequencies ħω=10 and 15 meV in Si doped with shallow impurities (density N=10¹⁶−6×10¹⁶ cm⁻³, ionization energy ε₁≃45 meV) with compensation K=10⁻⁴−10⁻⁵ in electric fields E=10–250 V/cm are measured at liquid-helium temperatures T. Special measures are taken to prevent the high-frequency part of the background radiation (ħω>16 meV) from striking the sample. It is found that the conductivity σ(E) is due to carrier motion along the D ⁻ band, which is filled with carriers under the influence of the field E. In fields E<E _q (E _q ≃100–200 V/cm) the carrier motion consists of hops along localized D ⁻ states in a 10–15 meV energy band below the bottom of the free band (energy ε=ε₁); for E>E _q carriers drift along localized D ⁻ states with energy ε∞ε₁−10 meV. An explanation is proposed for the threshold behavior of the field dependence of the photo-and static conductivities. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 66, No. 4, 232–236 (25 August 1997)