Breakdown of semi-insulating Gallium Arsenide under pulsed electric field

Summary form only given. The characteristic of the breakdown of semi-insulating Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) under pulsed electric field was studied. Experimental results indicate that the breakdown process can be marked into two phase: slow process with free carriers amount gaining and quick process with crystal lattice being destroyed. The slow process vary from micoseconds to milliseconds depend on biased voltage. The quick process are in tens nano-seconds. Both phases are attributed to avalanche multipliction of carriers due to their impact ionizarion under electric field. But the difference is distinct. In the first phase, carriers amount gaining evolutes slowly so the generated heat can be taken off by environment medium, and so do not destroy the lattice. However, in the second phase, impact ionization is so intensive that avalanche multiplication can dardly be arrested. A mass of hot carriers transfer the heat to the part of GaAs crystal lattices. The power of heat generating is very large, the heat can not be taken off, so destroy the lattices permanently. This work will be beneficial to understanding the photo-conductive process of GaAs Photo-conductive semiconductor Switches.