Abstract
The origin of reverse-biased breakdown radiation in germanium and silicon p- n junctions has not been definitely established. This radiation was first reported by Newman for silicon p- n junctions and somewhat later by Kikuchi and Tachikawa for germanium p- n junctions, and has a visible “spotted” spatial distribution. It has usually been assumed that this radiation originates from recombination occurring between energetic electrons and holes in microplasmas. The measured spectral distributions of the radiation from silicon and germanium junctions are quite different, with the silicon emission spectrum showing no structure, whereas the germanium one does. Existing explanations, including intraband transitions, do not adequately account for the presence or lack of structure. A more recent proposal by Figielski and Torun that the radiation is from the bremsstrahlung of hot carriers in the coulomb field of charged centres is extended to include a more suitable high field distribution function due to Yamashita and Inoue. It is found that the spectral distribution of the radiation should be of the form U v ∝ [1 - erf( hv/√(2 p) kT e )], where T e is the electron temperature, and p is a factor depending on mobility, electric field, and the velocity of sound.
Published Version
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