High-field electron velocities in silicon surface inversion layers

A new time-of-flight technique for the study of transport velocities of electron packets under high tangential (Esub(T)) and normal Esub(N)) electric fields in silicon surface inversion layers is described. Room temperature drift velocities at (100)Si-SiO2 interfaces are reported for Esub(T) between (0.25 and 4.0) x 104 V/cm and Esub(N) between (0.3 and 2.0) x 105 V/cm. A surface drift velocity near saturation of 8.5 x 106 cm/s is found at Esub(T) = 4.0 x 104 V/cm and Esub(N) = 0.8 x 105 V/cm, which is about 50% larger than obtained in the most recent comparable work. (orig.)