Dynamics of streamer discharge development in semiconductors

Abstract

Space-time dynamics of streamer discharges in semiconductors in view of processes of shock (tunnel and photo-) ionization, radiating spontaneous and stimulated recombination as well as electron-photon interaction in a strong electric field has been modeled. The possibility of formation in these conditions of space-nonuniform dissipative structures, self-oscillatory regular and other modes were shown; their laws and interrelation with dynamics of streamer laser discharge were established. Nonmonotonic dependence of system characteristics on key parameters - excitation rate, life time of nonequilibrium carriers and photons, quantum efficiency of active environment as well as strengthening of structure interaction in conditions of stimulated recombination causing variety of own system dynamics were revealed. Radiating processes provide high speed of structure distribution compared with phase speed of light, and they are the basic generation mechanism of nonequilibrium carriers generation in self-oscillatory mode respective to optimum conditions of streamer occurrence and development