Effect of the impact ionization of deep traps on the field distribution inplanar thin-film GaAs structures

The distribution of the electric field in planar GaAs structures made up of a thin film and semi-insulating compensated substrate is considered allowi ng for the impact ionization of deep traps in the substrate near the film-s ubstrate interface. It is shown that there exists a critical film thickness below which the impact ionization of deep traps can make the film exhibit a long-length region of a uniform electric field exceeding the threshold of N-type negative differential mobility without recourse to special doping p rofiles. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.