Monte Carlo analysis of the influence of dc conditions on the upconversion of generation-recombination noise in semiconductors

We present a study of the influence of nonlinear velocity-field characteristics of semiconductors on the upconversion of low-frequency generation-recombination noise to high frequencies. An ensemble Monte Carlo simulation is used for the calculations. When a periodic electric field of large amplitude is applied to the semiconductor we observe the generation of harmonics in the current response, and the upconversion of generation-recombination noise as sidebands around these harmonics. By varying the dc value of the applied electric field we obtain the main result of this work: upconverted noise is dramatically reduced when the sample is biased in the quasi-saturation region.