Calculation of I–V curves in narrow-gap semiconductors with symmetric electron and hole energy dispersion laws

The hot electron phenomena are considered in the narrow-gap semiconductors with Lax band structure. Methods for calculation of I–V curves are developed in the case when only the quasielastic scattering processes occur. The following factors are taken into consideration: Bloch structure of wave functions; electron-electron interaction; change in concentration of carriers due to the warming of electrons in the electric field; anisotropy and many-valley character of band spectrum. Results obtained here may be useful for the interpretation of experimental data for alloys Bi_1-xSb_x, lead and tin chalcogenides.