Impact ionization coefficients and critical electric field in GaN

Avalanche multiplication characteristics in a reverse-biased homoepitaxial GaN p–n junction diode are experimentally investigated at 223–373 K by novel photomultiplication measurements utilizing above- and below-bandgap illumination. The device has a non-punch-through one-side abrupt p–-n+ junction structure, in which the depletion layer mainly extends to the p-type region. For above-bandgap illumination, the light is absorbed at the surface p+-layer, and the generated electrons diffuse and reach the depletion layer, resulting in an electron-injected photocurrent. On the other hand, for below-bandgap illumination, the light penetrates a GaN layer and is absorbed owing to the Franz–Keldysh effect in the high electric field region (near the p–n junction interface), resulting in a hole-induced photocurrent. The theoretical (non-multiplicated) photocurrents are calculated elaborately, and the electron- and hole-initiated multiplication factors are extracted as ratios of the experimental data to the calculated values. Through the mathematical analyses of the multiplication factors, the temperature dependences of the impact ionization coefficients of electrons and holes in GaN are extracted and formulated by the Okuto–Crowell model. The ideal breakdown voltage and the critical electric field for GaN p–n junctions of varying doping concentration are simulated using the obtained impact ionization coefficients, and their temperature dependence and conduction-type dependence were discussed. The simulated breakdown characteristics show good agreement with data reported previously, suggesting the high accuracy of the impact ionization coefficients obtained in this study.

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