1/f noise produced by the random motion of the carriers crossing potential barriers in semiconductors

Abstract

A new model for 1/f noise is discussed. When carriers in a semiconductor are separated by a potential barrier into two groups, some of the carriers climb over the barrier and move into the other group as a series of random events. If one group is in a trap, the number of the carriers in the trap varies with time. The probability of the occurrence of the first return to the initial state is in inverse proportion to the cube root value of the number of random events. The number of carriers is proportionate to the electric charge. The charge induces change in the resistance in the local area near the trap. The area is so small that the semiconductor shows the small resistance change of a square wave form. The distribution of the random square wave is represented by the Poisson distribution and its autocorrelation function has a Lorentzian spectrum. The characteristic of first return to the initial state shows that the probability of the Lorentzian spectrum is in inverse proportion to the wavelength. A 1/f spectrum is obtained by the superposition of the spectra.