Lowest-Order Thermal Correction to the Hydrogen Recombination Cross-Section in Presence of Blackbody Radiation

In the present paper, the correction of the recombination and ionization processes of the hydrogen atom due to the thermal interaction of two charges was considered. The evaluation was based on a rigorous quantum electrodynamic (QED) approach within the framework of perturbation theory. The lowest-order radiative correction to the recombination/ionization cross-section was examined for a wide range of temperatures corresponding to laboratory and astrophysical conditions. The found thermal contribution was discussed both for specific states and for the total recombination and ionization coefficients.

Effective ionization coefficients for low current dc discharges in alcohol vapours at low pressure

This paper presents results for effective ionisation coefficients ($$\alpha _{\mathrm {eff}}/N$$ α eff / N , N—gas density) obtained from the breakdown voltage and emission profile measurements in low-pressure dc discharges in vapours of alcohols: methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and n-butanol. Our results for $$\alpha _{\mathrm {eff}}/N$$ α eff / N are determined from the axial emission profiles in low-current Townsend discharge and lay in the interval of reduced electric field E/N (E—electric field, N—gas density), from 1 kTd to 8.8 kTd. We also give a comparison of our experimental results with those from the available literature. Our data cover the high E/N range of the standard operating conditions and in the region where other data are available we have a good agreement. Graphic abstract

Low Noise Short Wavelength Infrared Avalanche Photodetector Using SB-Based Strained Layer Superlattice

We demonstrate low noise short wavelength infrared (SWIR) Sb-based type II superlattice (T2SL) avalanche photodiodes (APDs). The SWIR GaSb/(AlAsSb/GaSb) APD structure was designed based on impact ionization engineering and grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a GaSb substrate. At room temperature, the device exhibits a 50% cut-off wavelength of 1.74 µm. The device was revealed to have an electron-dominated avalanching mechanism with a gain value of 48 at room temperature. The electron and hole impact ionization coefficients were calculated and compared to give a better prospect of the performance of the device. Low excess noise, as characterized by a carrier ionization ratio of ~0.07, has been achieved.

Transport Characteristics of the Electrification and Lightening of the Gas Mixture Representing the Atmospheres of the Solar System Planets

Electrification represents a fundamental process in planetary atmospheres, widespread in the Solar System. The atmospheres of the terrestrial planets (Venus, Earth, and Mars) range from thin to thick are rich in heavier gases and gaseous compounds, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, argon, sodium, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide. The Jovian planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) have thick atmospheres mainly composed of hydrogen and helium involving. The electrical discharge processes occur in the planetary atmospheres leading to potential hazards due to arcing on landers and rovers. Lightning does not only affect the atmospheric chemical composition but also has been involved in the origin of life in the terrestrial atmosphere. This paper is dealing with the transport parameters and the breakdown voltage curves of the gas compositions representing atmospheres of the planets of the Solar System. Ionization coefficients, electron energy distribution functions, and the mean energy of the atmospheric gas mixtures have been calculated by BOLSIG+. Transport parameters of the carbon dioxide rich atmospheric compositions are similar but differ from those of the Earth’s atmosphere. Small differences between parameters of the Solar System's outer planets can be explained by a small abundance of their constituent gases as compared to the abundance of hydrogen. Based on the fit of the reduced effective ionization coefficient, the breakdown voltage curves for atmospheric mixtures have been plotted. It was found that the breakdown voltage curves corresponding to the atmospheres of Solar System planets follow the standard scaling law. Results of calculations satisfactorily agree with the available data from the literature. The minimal and the maximal value of the voltage required to trigger electric breakdown is obtained for the Martian and Jupiter atmospheres, respectively.

Mid-wavelength infrared avalanche photodetector with AlAsSb/GaSb superlattice

In this work, a mid-wavelength infrared separate absorption and multiplication avalanche photodiode (SAM-APD) with 100% cut-off wavelength of ~ 5.0 µm at 200 K grown by molecular beam epitaxy was demonstrated. The InAsSb-based SAM-APD device was designed to have electron dominated avalanche mechanism via the band structure engineered multi-quantum well structure based on AlAsSb/GaSb H-structure superlattice and InAsSb material in the multiplication region. The device exhibits a maximum multiplication gain of 29 at 200 K under -14.7 bias voltage. The maximum multiplication gain value for the MWIR SAM-APD increases from 29 at 200 K to 121 at 150 K. The electron and hole impact ionization coefficients were derived and the large difference between their value was observed. The carrier ionization ratio for the MWIR SAM-APD device was calculated to be ~ 0.097 at 200 K.

Mid-wavelength Infrared Avalanche Photodetector with AlAsSb/GaSb Superlattice

This work demonstrates a mid-wavelength infrared separate absorption and multiplication avalanche photodiode (SAM-APD) with AlGaAsSb/GaSb multi-quantum well as the multiplication layer and InAsSb bulk material as the absorption layer. The InAsSb-based SAM-APD structure was grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The device exhibits a 100 % cut-off wavelength of ~5.3 µm at 150 K and ~5.6 µm at 200 K. At 150 K and 200 K, the responsivity of the SAM-APD reaches a peak value of 2.26 A/W and 3.84 A/W at 4.0 µm under -1.0 V applied bias, respectively. The SAM-APD device was designed to have electron dominated avalanching mechanism via the multi-quantum well structure as the avalanche architecture. A multiplication gain value of 29 at 200 K was achieved under −14.7 V bias voltage. The electron and hole impact ionization coefficients were calculated and compared. A carrier ionization ratio of ~0.097 was achieved at 200 K.