Current Instability in Four-Layer p–n–p–n-Structures

Abstract

The behavior of p₁–n₁–p₂–n₂-structure with contacts to n₁- and n₂-regions was studied. It is shown that at such double electrode closing, four-layer structures do not have stationary state in a certain voltage range, i.e. they develop instability accompanied by the generation of relaxation current pulses. A physical model is proposed for the observed instability.