Hot Electrons in Semiconductors with Quasi‐Relativistic Band Structure

Abstract

AbstractA kinetic equation for hot electrons in semiconductors of the lead chalcogenide type is obtained. The effects of heating‐up with a dc or microwave electric field are discussed. A function of the electron distribution at quasielastic scattering of acoustic phonons with equiparted energy is derived in the diffusion approximation. Such parameters as current—voltage characteristics, effective high‐frequency conductivity (depending on the intensity of incoming radiation) and μ‐photoconductivity of the electron gas are examined. The kinetic coefficients are calculated for a highly degenerate gas with accurate estimation of the quasi relativistic band spectrum; for non‐degenerate electrons kinetic coefficients are calculated to first corrections by ϵ/ϵg (ϵ average electron energy in the conductivity band; ϵg width of forbidden gap).