Abstract
A criterion is given for the acoustoelectric current oscillation in semiconductors in a strong electric field. The linear amplification of acoustic phonons by drifting carriers and the linear loss of amplified phonons by thermal phonons are taken into account in deriving the cr terion. The threshold drift velocity of carriers for oscillation is determined by the condition that the decrease of drift velocity due to amplified phonons during the one-way transit time of phonons through the sample becomes an appreciable fraction of the difference between the ohmic drift velocity and the velocity of sound. Numerical estimates are carried out for typical semiconductors such as elemental piezoelectric semiconductors (Te), II-VI semiconductors (CdS), III-V semiconductors (GaAs, InSb) and non-piezoelectric semiconductors (Ge). The threshold drift velocities calculated are in fair agreement with the experiments.
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