Autosolitons in electron-hole plasma in p-Ge

The self-organization of an electron-hole plasma (EHP) heated by an electric field in pure p-Ge samples at T = 77 K has been studied experimentally. The derived current-voltage characteristics (CVCs) and the distributions of the electric field and IR emission of the hot carriers along the samples show that the segements of a steep rise or the S-shaped seaments of the CVCs in samples with n-p junctions are related to the formation of longitudinal thermal-diffusion autosolitons (AS\\); as a result, thin (d = 2-20 mu m in diameter), melted-through current channels appear. Such AS,, are formed at high EHP densities (n >= 1 x 10(16) cm(-3)), when the electron-hole scattering is dominant, and at electron temperatures T-e = (2-4.5)T-0 (T-0 is the lattice temperature). The saturation segments and the N-shaped segments in the CVCs are attributable to the generation of thermal-diffusion high-field autosolitons (AS in the form of narrow strata with electric field strengths E-AS perpendicular to = 1-20 kV cm(-1). High-field AS(perpendicular to) are formed at EHP densities n = 5 X 10(13)-1 X 10(16)cm(-3), when the electron-phonon scattering is dominant, and at electron temperatures T-e similar to 0 >= 5T(0) (Theta is the Debye temperature). The generated longitudinal and transverse autosolitons have high temperatures (T-e >= 1000 K) and reduced carrier densities and can exist simultaneously in different parts of the sample.