Investigation about the high temperature impact-ionization coefficient in silicon

In this work we address the problem of field- and temperature-dependence of the impact-ionization coefficient in silicon. A careful prediction of the impact ionization phenomenon is essential for the design of devices working in high-current/voltage conditions, where self heating is relevant. A new model is proposed, fitted on first-principle calculations, that demonstrates the essential role played by the non-equilibrium Auger effect, which is neglected in standard approaches. The model is corroborated by a theoretical analysis, that confirms the numerical findings about the field and temperature dependence.