Monte Carlo determination of electron transport properties in gallium arsenide

Abstract A Monte Carlo technique has been used to calculate the electron distribution functions in the (000) and (100) valleys of gallium arsenide. This method avoids having to make any of the conventional approximations used to solve the Boltzmann transport equation, but instead evaluates the distribution function exactly once the scattering rates have been specified. Polar, acoustic and relevant intervalley scattering processes have been included, together with the non-parabolicity and wavevector dependence of the cell-periodic part of the Bloch functions in the (000) valley. The structure found in the distribution function in the (000) valley is interpreted in terms of the energy dependence of the scattering processes, particular reference being made to the prediction of a population inversion for fields in excess of about 10 kV cm . The mobility, mean energy, and electron population in each valley and the mean velocity are calculated as functions of the electric field strength, and comparison is made with previous theoretical results and the experimental data.

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