The calculation of the avalanche multiplication factor in silicon p—N junctions taking into account the carrier generation (thermal or optical) in the space-charge region
The influence of carrier generation within the space-charge regions of silicon p-n junctions upon their breakdown characteristics is analyzed. Universal plots for the calculation of the total multiplication in one-sided silicon junctions versus voltage and substrate concentration are given, which take into account both injection and generation of initiating carriers. It is shown that the multiplication factorMof practical (i.e., generation-dominated) silicon junctions differs from the pure hole-pure electron multiplication factors Mpand Mnand ranges between them, i.e.,M_{p} < M < M_{n}. Its calculated voltage dependence is well approximated by Miller's relationship with an exponentnbetween 4 and 7 for impurity concentrations in the substrate between 1014and 1017cm-3.