High-field transport in gallium arsenide and indium phosphide

Abstract

The dependence of drift velocity on electric field strength in gallium arsenide and indium phosphide is calculated using recent theoretical estimates of the intervalley coupling constants. Screened and unscreened electron-phonon interactions are considered. In gallium arsenide, the results are shown to be in acceptable agreement with experimental data, the agreement being somewhat better if the unscreened interaction is used. In indium phosphide, the theory predicts very strong intervalley scattering and although this leads to a smaller negative differential mobility than in gallium arsenide, a much higher peak to valley ratio is predicted.