Abstract
In this paper, we study the effect of energy loss of charge carriers due to carrier-carrier interactions prior to impact ionization on the static and large-signal characteristics of double-drift region impact avalanche transit time (IMPATT) diodes based on Si designed to operate at millimeter-wave (mm-wave) atmospheric window frequencies such as 94, 140, and 220 GHz. The above mentioned effect has been incorporated in the simulation by taking into account a recently reported generalized analytical model of impact ionization rate of charge carriers based on multistage scattering phenomena in the base semiconductor. Results are compared with static and large-signal signal simulation results of the same diodes that we have reported earlier by taking into account the empirical relation of ionization rates fitted from the experimental data (experiment was carried out on IMPATT structures suitable for operating near 100 GHz). It is observed that both the large-signal RF power output and DC to RF conversion efficiency of the diodes are deteriorated significantly due to reduced ionization rates as a consequence of carrier-carrier collision events prior to the impact ionization. This effect is found to be more pronounced in 140 and 220 GHz diodes due to the enhanced carrier-carrier collisions within those diodes having greater background doping densities as compared to 94 GHz diode. The simulation results presented in this paper found to be in closer agreement with the experimental results as compared to the results that we have reported earlier.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Midford, T.A., Bernick, R.L.: Millimeter wave CW IMPATT diodes and oscillators. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech. 27, 483–492 (1979)
Dalle, C., Rolland, P., Lieti, G.: Flat doping profile double-drift silicon IMPATT for reliable CW high power high-efficiency generation in the 94-GHz window. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 37, 227–236 (1990)
Luschas, M., Judaschke, R., Luy, J. F.: Measurement results of packaged millimeter-wave silicon IMPATT diodes. In: Proceedings of the 27th International Conference on Infrared and Millimeter Waves, Conference Digest, pp. 135–136 (2002)
Luy, J.F., Casel, A., Behr, W., Kasper, E.: A 90-GHz double-drift IMPATT diode made with Si MBE. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 34, 1084–1089 (1987)
Wollitzer, M., Buchler, J., Schafflr, F., Luy, J.F.: D-band Si-IMPATT diodes with 300 mW CW output power at 140 GHz. Electron. Lett. 32, 122–123 (1996)
Banerjee, B., Tripathi, A., Das, A., Singh, K.A., Acharyya, A., Banerjee, J.P.: IMPATT diodes based on \({\langle }111{\rangle }\), \({\langle }100{\rangle }\) and \({\langle }110{\rangle }\) oriented gaas: a comparative study to search the best orientation for millimeter-wave atmospheric windows. Int. Sch. Res. Not. 2015, 1–11 (2015)
Lee, C.A., Logan, R.A., Bardorf, R.L., Kleimack, J.J., Wieamann, W.: Ionization rates of holes and electrons in silicon. Phys. Rev. 134, A761–A773 (1964)
Ogawa, T.: Avalanche breakdown and multiplication in silicon pin junctions. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 4, 473–484 (1965)
Baertsch, R.D.: Noise and ionization rate measurements in silicon photodiodes. IEEE Trans. Electron. Devices 13, 987 (1966)
Overstraeten, R.V., DeMan, H.: Measurement of the ionization rates in diffused silicon \(p-n\) junctions. Solid-State Electron. 13, 583–608 (1970)
Grant, W.N.: Electron and hole ionization rates in epitaxial silicon at high electric fields. Solid State Electron. 16, 1189–1203 (1973)
Ghosh, R., Roy, S.K.: Effect of electron-electron interactions on the ionization rate of charge carriers in semiconductors. Solid- State Electron. 18, 945–948 (1975)
Singh, S.R., Pal, B.B.: Ionization rates of electrons and holes in GaAs considering electron–electron and hole–hole interactions. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 32, 599–604 (1985)
Shotckey, W.: Problems related to \(p-n\) junctions in silicon. Solid-State Electron. 2, 35–67 (1961)
Acharyya, A., Banerjee, J.P.: A generalized analytical model based on multistage scattering phenomena for estimating the impact ionization rate of charge carriers in semiconductors. J. Comput. Electron. 13, 917–924 (2014)
Acharyya, A., Chatterjee, S., Das, A., Banerjee, A., Pandey, A.R., Yadav, A., Banerjee, J.P.: Additional confirmation of a generalized analytical model based on multistage scattering phenomena to evaluate the ionization rates of charge carriers in semiconductors. J. Comput. Electron., 1–6 (2015). doi:10.1007/s10825-015-0746-5
Electronic Archive: New Semiconductor Materials, Characteristics and Properties. http://www.ioffe.rssi.ru/SVA/NSM/Semicond/index.html. Accessed October 2015
Acharyya, A., Banerjee, S., Banerjee, J.P.: Effect of junction temperature on the large-signal properties of a 94 GHz silicon based double-drift region impact avalanche transit time device. J. Semiconduc. 34, 024001-12 (2013)
Acharyya, A., Chakraborty, J., Das, K., Datta, S., De, P., Banerjee, S., Banerjee, J.P.: Large-signal characterization of DDR silicon IMPATTs operating up to 0.5 THz. Int. J. Microw. Wirel. Technol. 5, 567–578 (2013)
Acharyya, A., Chakraborty, J., Das, K., Datta, S., De, P., Banerjee, S., Banerjee, J.P.: Large-signal characterization of DDR silicon IMPATTs operating in millimeter-wave and terahertz regime. J. Semiconduc. 34, 104003-8 (2013)
Canali, C., Ottaviani, G., Quaranta, A.A.: Drift velocity of electrons and holes and associated anisotropic effects in silicon. J. Phys. Chem. Solids 32, 1707–1720 (1971)
Zeghbroeck, B.V.: Principles of Semiconductor Devices. Colorado Press, USA (2011)
Scharfetter, D.L., Gummel, H.K.: Large-signal analysis of a silicon read diode oscillator. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 6, 64–77 (1969)
Acharyya, A., Banerjee, S., Banerjee, J.P.: Influence of skin effect on the series resistance of millimeter-wave of IMPATT devices. J. Comput. Electron. 12, 511–525 (2013)
Acknowledgments
The Authors wish to thank Supreme Knowledge Foundation Group of Institutions for providing excellent research facilities. Moreover, Aritra Acharyya is grateful to Professor (Dr.) J. P. Bandyopadhyay, Emeritus Fellow (UGC), Institute of Radio Physics and Electronics, University of Calcutta, for providing valuable suggestions to carry out the present work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bandyopadhyay, P.K., Chakraborty, S., Biswas, A. et al. Large-signal characterization of millimeter-wave IMPATTs: effect of reduced impact ionization rate of charge carriers due to carrier-carrier interactions. J Comput Electron 15, 646–656 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-016-0799-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-016-0799-0