Voltage Dependence of Microplasma Density in p-n Junctions in Silicon

Abstract
The voltage distribution of breakdown spots in p—n junctions was measured. A junction in silicon which was uniform in its crystallographic properties, and had an impurity gradient of 1022 cm−4, showed two kinds of microplasmas. One type is characterized by bright light emission and low breakdown voltage, and the other has less light emission and higher breakdown voltage. Both have broad distribution of breakdown voltages of the order of several volts. Samples containing a grain boundary show a line of light emitting spots having a minimum spacing of 7000 A versus a 40‐A spacing of dislocations along the grain boundary.