Stationary High-Field Domain in Si : Zn at the Excitation Threshold of Recombination Waves

The generation and voltage dependence of a stationary high-field domain in Si : Zn about the excitation threshold of slow recombination waves are investigated by scanning electron microscopy. It is found that the domain arises at the cathode when the electric field in the specimen is about 10 V/cm. The field inside the domain and at its boundary (10³ V/cm) considerably exceeds the average specimen field. The field in the domain linearly increases with dc specimen voltage but stays within the same order of magnitude. The domain linearly grows to approximately 100 m with increasing dc specimen voltage. Domain generation is found to occur in passing from a linear to a sublinear portion of the specimen current–voltage characteristic.