D. Tsamakis et N. Glezos, ANOMALOUS ELECTRICAL-CONDUCTION IN SILICON N(-I-N(+) RESISTORS AT LOW-TEMPERATURES()), Semiconductor science and technology, 12(6), 1997, pp. 672-677
Charge transport phenomena in n(+)-i-n(+) highly compensated Si resist
ors have been investigated in the temperature range 4.2-300 K from mea
surements of the I-V static characteristics. The prebreakdown and brea
kdown regions of I-V characteristics, observed at liquid-helium temper
atures, were simulated by a one-dimensional model including the high c
ompensation effect as well as the impact ionization of the frozen-out
shallow dopants by the hot electrons injected into the base. An impuri
ty hopping conduction mechanism is considered for the prebreakdown reg
ime at temperatures between 4.2 and 20 K. Negative differential resist
ance (S-type) phenomena are also observed on the I-V characteristics f
or high injection current densities and are discussed in terms of the
inhomogeneous distribution of the electric field into the base at liqu
id-helium temperatures.