Abstract:
We have extended the balance equations to account for conduction-valence interband impact ionization (II) process induced by an intense terahertz (THz) electromagnetic irradiation in semiconductors, and applied them to study the II effect on electron transport and electron-hole pair generation-recombination rate in THz-driven InAs/AlSb heterojunctions (HJ). As many as needed multiphoton channels are self-consistently taken into account for yielding a given accuracy. The time evolution of transport state including THz-radiation-induced II process are monitored in details by an extensive time-dependent analysis. Two different physical stages, the quasi-steady state and the complete steady-state, are clearly identified from the present calculations. Intersubband electron transfer rate and net electron-hole generation rate are derived as functions of the THz radiation strength E ac for various radiation frequencies from f ac = 0.42 to 6 THz at lattice temperatures T = 6 K. It's indicated that the THz radiation with a larger E ac or a lower f ac, has a stronger effect on electron transport and II process. Qualitative agreement is obtained between the calculated electron-hole generation rate and the available experimental data for InAs/AlSb HJ's at T = 6 K.
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Received 24 May 2002 / Received in final form 26 August 2002 Published online 31 October 2002
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Cao, J., Lei, X. Balance-equation approach to impact ionization induced by an intense terahertz radiation: Application to InAs/AlSb heterojunctions. Eur. Phys. J. B 29, 553–559 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2002-00339-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2002-00339-x