The dynamics of high-field propagating domains in bulk semiconductors

This paper discusses the dynamics of high-field propagating domains in bulk semiconductors such as gallium arsenide. First, the origin of a high-field domain and its nucleation mechanism are discussed. Next, important properties of a steady-state high-field domain are briefly reviewed. Then, the “unequal” areas rule is derived to explain transient domain behavior. Domain buildup or decay speeds are discussed in detail, and conditions are presented under which two or more domains can exist simultaneously. Finally, the above discussions are applied to explain the high-field domain behavior in pulse circuits, variable frequency oscillators, waveform generators, and domain bypassing schemes. Numerical examples are also given to illustrate how fast these operations can be performed.