Nonequilibrium phase transitions and chaos in semiconductors

Abstract

Generation-recombination-induced nonequilibrium phase transitions in semiconductors were first noted by Landsberg and Pimpale (1976) [ J. Phys. C 9, 1243]. During the past decade the view of a semiconductor as a nonlinear dynamic system governed by generation-recombination processes has stimulated much theoretical and, more recently, experimental work. We briefly review these developments, which include first- and second-order phase transitions (breakdown and threshold switching), the spontaneous emergence of spatial structures (current filamentation), and chaos, and discuss three recent examples, viz. Auger recombination induced tristability, optically controlled threshold switching and current filamentation, and chaotic dielectric relaxation oscillations.