Light Emission and Noise Studies of Individual Microplasmas in Silicon p-n Junctions

At low currents in the prebreakdown region of broad area diffused silicon p-n junctions in which the breakdown is by an avalanche mechanism, only a few light-emitting microplasmas are present. These appear in succession as the current is increased and the appearance of each spot is accompanied by its own set of characteristic microplasma current pulses. It is found also that effectively all the emitted light arises at these microplasmas and that they carry, essentially, all of the breakdown current. The light intensity of an individual microplasma is roughly proportional to the current flowing through it.