Nucleation and growth of current filaments in semiconductors

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Abstract
The nucleation and disappearance of current filaments in homogeneously slightly doped semiconductors during avalanche breakdown at low temperatures is quantitatively evaluated in terms of a minimum and maximum value of the filament current. Both values arise from a model based on the power balance in the system. Experimental results obtained by the two‐dimensional imaging of the filament configurations in n‐GaAs and p‐Ge agree quantitatively with the predictions of our power balance model.