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Oscillatory Transport Instabilities and Complex Spatio-Temporal Dynamics in Semiconductors

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Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation in Semiconductors and Devices

Part of the book series: Springer Proceedings in Physics ((SPPHY,volume 79))

Abstract

Instabilities associated with nonlinear electrical transport of hot electrons are widespread in semiconductor devices driven far from thermodynamic equilibrium. They often involve switching behaviour, self-generated current or voltage oscillations, current filamentation, field domain formation and solid-state turbulence. In this paper the theory of such instabilities is reviewed with a special emphasis on recent progress in the description of current filaments and field domains. The occurring instabilities can be considered as nonequilibrium phase transitions. The theoretical tools of nonlinear dynamic systems are applied to describe the emergence of self-organized dynamic spatio-temporal structures: The nucleation and growth of current filaments, their interaction via global couplings through the external circuit, periodic and chaotic oscillatory instabilities in the form of breathing or spiking filaments, filaments travelling laterally in a regular or intermittent way, and the formation of static or oscillating domains giving rise to multistable current-voltage characteristics. The following specific model systems are treated in detail: (i) The dynamic Hall instability in crossed electric and magnetic fields in the regime of low temperature impurity impact ionization. (ii) Vertical electrical transport in layered semiconductor structures like the heterostructure hot electron diode and in superlattices.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Technische Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstr. 36, 10623, Berlin, Germany

    E. Schöll & A. Wacker

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  1. E. Schöll
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  2. A. Wacker
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  1. Institut für Angewandte Physik, Corrensstraße 2/4, D-48149, Münster, Germany

    Franz-Josef Niedernostheide

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Schöll, E., Wacker, A. (1995). Oscillatory Transport Instabilities and Complex Spatio-Temporal Dynamics in Semiconductors. In: Niedernostheide, FJ. (eds) Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation in Semiconductors and Devices. Springer Proceedings in Physics, vol 79. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79506-0_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79506-0_2

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