Internal Field Emission at Narrowp−nJunctions in Indium Antimonide

An experimental study has been made of the field and temperature dependence of internal field emission in narrow $p-n$ junctions in indium antimonide. Relatively good agreement, both qualitative and quantitative, is obtained between the experimental results and the usual expression for the barrier transparency. From studies of Esaki characteristics at low temperatures and from the observed temperature dependence of the tunnelling current, it is confirmed that the tunnelling transitions do not involve phonons. Also, it is shown that the temperature dependence of the barrier transparency is determined by that of the energy gap at $k=0\mathrm{}$.