Full-Band Monte Carlo simulations of GaAs p-i-n Avalanche PhotoDiodes: What Are the Limits of Nonlocal Impact Ionization Models?

We present a Full-Band Monte Carlo (FBMC) investigation of impact ionization in GaAs p-i-n Avalanche Photodiodes (APDs). FBMC simulations have been used to compute the gain and the excess noise factor and a new equation has been derived for the extraction of history-dependent impact ionization coefficients from FBMC simulations. Results from FBMC are then compared with the ones of nonlocal historydependent impact ionization models. We found that at high reverse bias voltages it is important to take into account the fact that secondary carriers are generated with nonzero kinetic energy. Finally, we propose an improved history-dependent model using an energy-dependent mean free path.

[1]  L. Selmi,et al.  An Improved Nonlocal History-Dependent Model for Gain and Noise in Avalanche Photodiodes Based on Energy Balance Equation , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[2]  R. J. McIntyre,et al.  A new look at impact ionization-Part I: A theory of gain, noise, breakdown probability, and frequency response , 1999 .

[3]  C. Hu,et al.  A new look at impact ionization-Part II: Gain and noise in short avalanche photodiodes , 1999 .

[4]  R. Abram,et al.  Impact ionization rate calculations in wide band gap semiconductors , 1999 .

[5]  J. David,et al.  A simple model for avalanche multiplication including deadspace effects , 1999 .

[6]  K. Taniguchi,et al.  Impact ionization model for full band Monte Carlo simulation in GaAs , 1996 .

[7]  N. Sano,et al.  Impact‐ionization model consistent with the band structure of semiconductors , 1995 .

[8]  Bahaa E. A. Saleh,et al.  Effect of dead space on gain and noise double-carrier-multiplication avalanche photodiodes , 1992, Optical Society of America Annual Meeting.

[9]  M. Fischetti.  Monte Carlo simulation of transport in technologically significant semiconductors of the diamond and zinc-blende structures. I. Homogeneous transport , 1991 .

[10]  K. Brennan,et al.  Experimental determination of impact ionization coefficients in , 1983, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[11]  Walter Pötz,et al.  Theory of optical-phonon deformation potentials in tetrahedral semiconductors , 1981 .

[12]  Peter A. Houston,et al.  Electron drift velocity in n-GaAs at high electric fields , 1977 .

[13]  Vikram L. Dalal,et al.  Temperature Dependence of Hole Velocity in p‐GaAs , 1971 .

[14]  V. Dalal.  HOLE VELOCITY IN p‐GaAs , 1970 .

[15]  J. S. Cheong,et al.  e-Publications@Marquette e-Publications , 2022 .