An efficient full-band Monte Carlo program for high-energy carrier tra
nsport is employed to investigate hole impact ionization in p-Si for a
range of electric fields up to 800 kV/cm and lattice temperatures bet
ween 77 and 450 K. An empirical expression is developed for the temper
ature dependence of ionization coefficients. The results are compared
with those obtained from existing models. The empirical model agrees w
ell with experiments and other numerically intensive models, providing
a means to incorporate these effects into other device simulators and
reliability models. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.