OBTAINMENT OF THE NEGATIVE TEMPERATURE STATE IN THE p-n JUNCTIONS OF DEGENERATE SEMICONDUCTORS

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1961 · Zhur. Eksptl'. i Teoret. Fiz.

OSTI ID:4836332

Basov, N G; Krokhin, O N; Popov, Yu M

As a result of the lowering of the potential barrier formed by the space charge, and application of a voltage in the forward direction to a p -- n junction the concentration of the minority carriers will increase. The studies show that at least a portion of the p -- n junction must be degenerate. Such semiconductors are basically tunnel diodes. The mechanism of the formation of the negative temperature state is due to the diffusion portion of the characteristic curve of the tunnel diode. In the p -- n junction of highly degenerate semiconductors the negative temperature state is reached before the potential barrier is competely removed; this makes it possible to use the diffusion theory of the current across the junction for quantitative measurements. Mathematical considerations indicate that the current density decreases with increasing degeneration level and with decreasing sample temperature, allowing it to reach the negative temperature state. However, the negative absorption coefficient prevailing at relatively high (about 10/sup 15/ cm/sup -3/) nonequilbrium concentration of minority carriers prevents operation at very low current densities. (TTT)

• Research Organization: Lebedev Inst. of Physics, Moscow
• NSA Number: NSA-16-000869
• OSTI ID: 4836332
• Journal Information: Zhur. Eksptl'. i Teoret. Fiz., Vol. Vol: 40; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: Russian

Related Subjects

PHYSICS
ABSORPTION
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
BARIUM 138
BARRIERS
CERIUM 141
CONFIGURATION
CROSS SECTIONS
CURRENTS
CYLINDERS
DENSITY
DEUTERONS
DIAGRAMS
DIFFUSION
DIODES
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ENERGY LEVELS
EQUATIONS
HEAT TRANSFER
HEATING
INTERACTIONS
JOINTS
JUNCTIONS
LANTHANUM 139
MATHEMATICS
MEASURED VALUES
MOMENTUM
NUCLEAR MODELS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
NUMERICALS
PARITY
PRASEODYMIUM 141
PROTONS
QUANTITY RATIO
SEMICONDUCTORS
SOLIDS
SPECTROMETERS
SPIN
STRIPPING
TEMPERATURE
TUNNEL EFFECT