Experimental Observation of Delayed Impact-Ionization Avalanche Breakdown in Semiconductor Structures without p–n Junctions

Abstract

We have experimentally studied the dynamics of impact-ionization switching in semiconductor structures without p–n junctions when subnanosecond high-voltage pulses are applied. Silicon n⁺–n–n⁺ type structures and volume ZnSe samples with planar ohmic contacts exhibit reversible avalanche switching to the conducting state within about 200 ps, which resembles the well-known phenomenon of delayed avalanche breakdown in reverse-biased p⁺–n–n⁺ diode structures. Experimental data are compared to the results of numerical simulations.