DYNAMICS OF CURRENT FILAMENTS IN P-TYPE GERMANIUM UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A TRANSVERSE MAGNETIC-FIELD

An explanation for the self-generated formation of spontaneous current oscillations developing during low-temperature impact ionization breakdown of slightly doped p-type germanium is presented for the first time, taking advantage of a model experiment. Upon applying a relatively small transverse magnetic field, the spatially inhomogeneous current distribution manifest in the form of individual high-conducting-current filaments undergoes a distinct traveling dynamics that is oriented perpendicular to the direction of the electric and the magnetic field (i.e., not coincident with the direction of the current flow). The resulting magnetic-field-induced oscillatory behavior can be described qualitatively by simple model considerations.