Free-carrier Poole-Frenkel effect in crystalline solids

The relative probability of observing an enhanced conductivity in extrinsic and intrinsic semiconductors due to the Poole-Frenkel lowering of activation energy at high electric fields is compared with the probability of the competing process of impact ionization avalanche. It is concluded that the Poole-Frenkel process is only likely to be seen in low mobility crystalline solids.