Breakdown in HgCdTe metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) detectors

Semiconductor breakdown in a HgCdTe MIS detector was investigated. The measured breakdown usually has a surface potential vs. gate-voltage characteristic peak. Calculations based on an ideal MIS model and the tunnel theory have failed to explain the observed breakdown characteristics. This paper proposes a breakdown model which considers the influence of dislocations. The dislocations are modeled as excess donor-like impurities captured around each dislocation core. The model explains the peak and predicts the peak height, including its dependence on carrier concentration and dislocation density.