A Critical Assessment of Electron Transport Theory: Evaluation of Electron Scattering by Ionized Impurities
Abstract
The present work is directed toward a critical examination of the current state-of-the-art of the theory of electron transport in semiconductors. In the case of undoped semiconductors and their alloys, theory agrees with experiment within a few percent and current theory can be accepted as being truly established. In the case of doped semiconductors, a distinction must be made between two regimes, nondegenerate and degenerate doping (or lightly doped and heavily doped). Degeneracy may be brought on either by large concentrations of dopant impurities, or by sufficiently low temperatures, or both. In the case of nondegenerate semiconductors, theory agrees with experiment within a few percent and the theory can be regarded as being sufficient for most purposes. For degenerate semiconductors, several experimental studies clearly indicate significant deficiencies in the current theory. These works call into question the validity of the widely used Brooks-Herring theory of electron scattering by ionized impurities. The BH theory is critically examined and serious shortcomings are pointed out. A different theory of ionized impurity scattering by Falicov and Cuevas is discussed as a possible alternative. But, this too appears not to be entirely acceptable. Nevertheless, it does suggest a viable alternative approach to an accurate description of doped semiconductors, which will be the subject of Phase 2 of the present work.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1145639
Entities
People
- D. L. Rode