Heating of carriers as controlled by the combined interactions with acoustic and piezoelectric phonons in degenerate III-V semiconductors at low lattice temperature

Abstract

In compound semiconductors which lack inversion symmetry, the combined interaction of the electrons with both acoustic and piezoelectric phonons is dominant at low lattice temperatures (~ 20K). The field dependence of the effective electron temperature under these conditions, has been calculated by solving the modified energy balance equation that takes due account of the degeneracy. The traditionally used heated Fermi-Dirac (F.D.) function for the non-equilibrium distribution function is approximated by some well tested model distribution. This makes it possible to carry out the integrations quite easily and, thus to obtain some more realistic results in a closed form, without taking recourse to any oversimplified approximations. The numerical results that follow for InSb, InAs and GaN, from the present analysis, are then compared with the available theoretical and experimental data. The degeneracy and the piezoelectric interaction, both are seen to bring about significant changes in the electron temperature characteristics. The scope for further refinement is discussed.