Large magnetoresistance in (In, Zn)As/InAs p-n junction

¹ Tianjin Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials Physics and Preparing Technology, Department of Physics, Tianjin University - Tianjin 300072, China
² Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University Shanghai 200062, China
³ National Laboratory for Infrared Physics, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science Shanghai 200083, China
⁴ School of Material Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Technology - Tianjin 300130, China
⁵ 26th Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation - Chongqing 400060, China

^(a) khgao@tju.edu.cn

Received: 4 January 2013
Accepted: 29 April 2013

Abstract

We study the magnetotransport property of a (In, Zn)As/InAs p-n junction and observe a breakdown behavior in the reverse bias region. This breakdown behavior can be attributed to two different electronic processes: the trap-assisted tunneling at moderate reverse voltage and the impact ionization at high reverse voltage. The former gives rise to a positive magnetoresistance, and a maximum of 226% is obtained at room temperature. The latter induces a very large positive magnetoresistance and its maximum of 428% is observed at a reverse voltage of 1.32 V.