A test by Monte Carlo simulation of the lucky drift theory of impact ionisation for a model with energy-dependent parameters

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The lucky drift theory of the impact ionisation coefficient is tested against a Monte Carlo simulation for a model semiconductor with a multi-valley band structure and energy-dependent parameters. The lucky drift formulation due to Burt (1985) is applied to this model to calculate the steady-state drift velocity, average electron energy, energy and momentum relaxation lengths and the impact ionisation coefficient. The lucky drift predictions for these quantities are compared with estimates derived from a Monte Carlo simulation over a range of values of the applied electric field. The agreement between the lucky drift predictions and Monte Carlo results is quite encouraging, given the extreme simplicity of the theory and the generality of the model.