Theory of electron-avalanche breakdown in solids

Sparks, M.; Mills, D. L.; Warren, R.W.; Holstein, T.; Maradudin, A. A.; Sham, L. J.; Loh, Eugene; King, D. F.

doi:10.1103/physrevb.24.3519

Cited by 262 publications

(98 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Knowledge of two physical properties is needed to make useful predictions: the interaction strength (which determines the magnitude of the factor multiplying the δ-function) and the kinematics of a collision between an electron and phonon (which determines the zeros of the δ-function argument). Our understanding of electrons and phonons is based on standard models [15][16][17][18][19][22][23][24]36,37 which assume effective mass dispersion. In this work we have replaced semi-phenomenological and ad hoc assumptions about the interaction strength with ab initio calculations, finding that it is stronger than the interaction in the standard models.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Attempts to make realistic predictions for energy and momentum transfer were made by Sparks et al 22 and Akkerman et al 23 who used phenomenological arguments to parametrize and estimate the electron-phonon matrix elements. We are unaware of any more definitive work.…”

Section: 21mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For previous Monte-Carlo simulations, 12-14 we have developed models for the cooling of electrons by phonons based on this type of work. 15,[22][23][24] With the current work, we aim to reduce the amount of ad hoc assignments involved in this estimation by resorting to DFT electronic structure calculations for the strength of the interaction directly.…”

Section: 21mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Calculation of energy relaxation rates of fast particles by phonons in crystals

Prange

Campbell

et al. 2015

Phys. Rev. B

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We present ab initio calculations of the temperature-dependent exchange of energy between a classical charged point-particle and the phonons of a crystalline material. The phonons, which are computed using density functional perturbation theory (DFPT) methods, interact with the moving particle via the Coulomb interaction between the density induced in the material by phonon excitation and the charge of the classical particle. Energy relaxation rates are computed using timedependent perturbation theory. The method, which is applicable wherever DFPT is, is illustrated with results for CsI, an important scintillator whose performance is affected by electron thermalization. We discuss the influence of the form assumed for quasiparticle dispersion on theoretical estimates of electron cooling rates.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: 21mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: 21mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Calculation of energy relaxation rates of fast particles by phonons in crystals

Prange

Campbell

et al. 2015

Phys. Rev. B

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“…However, a very useful approximate solution can be obtained for the total electron density, N(t), in the limit that the electron heating rate is much greater than the rate of energy transfer to the lattice. Note that, 5 = & j;N(E,t)de (6) Inserting equations 2-5 into eq. 1 and integrating over energy, we can write the time dependence of the electron density as,…”

Section: S(e T)dand = S(eand + S(et)hpactmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrashort-pulse laser machining

Banks¹,

Feit²,

Nguyen³

et al. 1998

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“…This is to be expected as the probability for the ion generation differs between air and vacuum. High vacuum increases the mean electron free path and consequently reduces the concentration of ions generated in the gap by an impact ionization avalanche process [13]. In a high vacuum environment, the reduction of the available ion concentration between non-ideally contacted spots will tend to suppress the formation of the ionic layer since the neutralization occurs at a constant rate but there does not exist sufficient ion concentration to rebuild the surface ion layer immediately.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrostatic Repulsion Between Highly Injecting Metals: An Experimental Investigation

Dervos

1996

Active and Passive Electronic Components

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This paper is an experimental investigation of the major implications brought in the crossing resistance of mechanically contacted metals when operating in the high electronic injection regime, i.e., steady state interfacial voltage values greater than the max. acceptable level determined by specifications and less than the melting voltage. Under such operating conditions, monolayers of positive ions may be formed within interfacial cavities filled by the material from the surrounding space. The dominating ion neutralization process on the cathode controls the formation of "Helmholtz" inner layers at the metal cathode+oxide+gas interface. The presence of a positive ion monolayer over the cathode electrode will tend to reduce the field threshold required for electronic field emission and affect the overall currentvoltage characteristics.The response of contacts operating under high charge injection is monitored on an injected charge vs. interfacial field phase space, which clearly demonstrates non-linear conductivity phenomena and hysteresis effects for the examined structures. Experimental results indicate convincingly the importance of the dielectric media around highly injecting metal contacts. The excessive positive ion formation may also account for the experimentally observed electrostatic repulsion between highly injecting metal contacts. Under low contact pressure situations spontaneous separation of the current carying electrodes may occur. During a spontaneous contact breaking process, the transient current and voltage profiles across the metal contacts have been monitored using state-of-the-art data logging systems. The importance of the oxide capacitance and (time varying) gap capacitance on V(t) and I(t) profiles has been discussed. The obtained results provide evidence for the positive ion layer formation over the cathode electrodes.

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Theory of electron-avalanche breakdown in solids

Cited by 262 publications

References 20 publications

Calculation of energy relaxation rates of fast particles by phonons in crystals

Calculation of energy relaxation rates of fast particles by phonons in crystals

Ultrashort-pulse laser machining

Electrostatic Repulsion Between Highly Injecting Metals: An Experimental Investigation

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