Lucky-drift model for nonlocal impact ionisation

Author

Jacob, B. ; Plimmer, S.A. ; Robson, P.N. ; Rees, G.J.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electron. & Electr. Eng., Sheffield Univ., UK

Volume

148

Issue

1

fYear

2001

fDate

6/23/1905 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

81

Lastpage

83

Abstract

The probability-distribution function (PDF) for impact-ionisation path length is a crucial quantity for understanding and modelling the low-noise behaviour of avalanche photodiodes with short multiplication regions. In these devices the high electric fields needed to produce avalanche narrow the PDF reducing the randomness in ionisation position and hence the noise in the multiplication. A simple method is presented for calculating PDFs using the `lucky-drift´ model. The results are compared with those predicted by corresponding Monte Carlo calculations employing a parabolic energy band deformation-potential optical-phonon scattering and hard-threshold impact ionisation. The overall behaviour expected for the PDF is reproduced by the simple model. However the unphysical, catastrophic assumption made for energy-relaxing collisions in lucky drift results in an unphysical delta function in the PDF which significant weight at high electric fields

Keywords

Monte Carlo methods; avalanche photodiodes; impact ionisation; optical noise; photodetectors; probability; Monte Carlo calculations; avalanche photodiodes; energy-relaxing collisions; hard-threshold impact ionisation; high electric fields; impact-ionisation path length; ionisation position; low-noise behaviour; lucky drift results; lucky-drift model; multiplication; noise; nonlocal impact ionisation; parabolic energy band deformation-potential optical-phonon scattering; probability-distribution function; short multiplication regions; unphysical catastrophic assumption; unphysical delta function;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Optoelectronics, IEE Proceedings -

Publisher

iet

ISSN

1350-2433

Type

jour

DOI

10.1049/ip-opt:20010089

Filename

914429