Disorder into Correlation: A Microscopic Mechanism for Sub-McIntyre Avalanche Noise

arXiv:2610.06915 · cond-mat.str-el, cond-mat.mtrl-sci · Submitted 2026-10-02 · Read on arXiv

cond-mat.str-el, cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Submitted: 2026-10-02

Updated: 2026-10-02

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The gist: Avalanche multiplication is intrinsically stochastic, yet experiments reveal excess noise below the minimum predicted by McIntyre's local-field theory.

Abstract

Avalanche multiplication is intrinsically stochastic, yet experiments reveal excess noise below the minimum predicted by McIntyre's local-field theory. The microscopic origin of this noise suppression remains incompletely understood. We show that polar-optical-phonon emission, confined to a narrow forward cone, competes with elastic alloy scattering that diffuses field-collimated hot carriers out of the cone. Suppressed phonon cooling narrows the ionization path beyond the dead space and synchronizes successive ionizations into a dynamic staircase. This explains the low noise of Sb-based alloys and HgCdTe and makes alloy disorder a design parameter.

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