Low-frequency instabilities of electron-hole plasmas in crossed fields

Using local point-contact probes, we observed two types of low-frequency instabilities inn-InSb at 85 K if the samples were exposed to crossed fields. One is a local density instability with threshold frequencies off = 1 20 Mc, the other a more turbulent current instability. The threshold values ofU₀ andB for the onset of these instabilities and the dependence of their amplitudes on the fields have been measured.If a rectangular semiconductor slab is placed in crossed fields, regions of high electric field strength at opposite edges of the contacts are caused by the distortion of the Hall field, giving rise to the generation of electron-hole plasmas by impact ionization. These plasmas are the sources of the observed instabilities. This is especially evident in the case of the local density instability, which originates at the anode high field corner. Several possible reasons for the development of the instabilities are discussed.