Abstract
An ensemble Monte Carlosimulation is used to compare high field electron transport in bulk InAs, InP and GaAs. In particular, velocity overshoot and electron transit times are examined. For all materials, we find that electron velocity overshoot only occurs when the electric field is increased to a value above a certain critical field, unique to each material. This critical field is strongly dependent on the material, about 3 kV/cm for InAs, 10 kV/cm for InP and 5 kV/cm for the case of GaAs, We find that InAs exhibits the highest peak overshoot velocity and that this velocity overshoot lasts over the longest distances when compared with GaAs and InP. Finally, we estimate the minimum transit time across a 1 μm InAs sample to be about 2 ps. Similar calculations for InP and GaAs yield 6.6 and 5.4 ps, respectively. We find that the optimal cutoff frequency for an ideal InAs based device ranges from around 79 GHz when the device thickness is set to 1 μm. We thus suggest that indium arsenide offers great promise for future high-speed device applications. The steady-state and transient velocity overshoot characteristics are in fair agreement with other recent calculations.
Highlights
InAs and InP substrates are one of the promising materials systems for optical communication devices, very high frequency applications and quantum dots (QDs) infrared photodetectors [1,2]
We find that electron velocity overshoot only occurs when the electric field is increased to a value above a certain critical field, unique to each material
This critical field is strongly dependent on the material, about 3 kV/cm for InAs, 10 kV/cm for InP and 5 kV/cm for the case of GaAs, We find that InAs exhibits the highest peak overshoot velocity and that this velocity overshoot lasts over the longest distances when compared with GaAs and InP
Summary
InAs and InP substrates are one of the promising materials systems for optical communication devices, very high frequency applications and quantum dots (QDs) infrared photodetectors [1,2]. The Monte Carlo technique has proved valuable for studying non-equilibrated carrier transport in a range of semiconductor materials and devices [3,4]. Carrier transport modelling of InP and InAs materials has only recently begun to receive sustained attention, that the progress in compounds and alloys has resulted in the production of valuable materials for the electronics industry [5]. It is the purpose of this paper to compare steady-state and transient velocity overshoot in InAs, InP and GaAs materials using an ensemble Monte Carlo studies.
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