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Related Experiment Video

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In Situ Time-dependent Dielectric Breakdown in the Transmission Electron Microscope: A Possibility to Understand the Failure Mechanism in Microelectronic Devices

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Avalanche breakdown in GaTa4Se(8-x)Te(x) narrow-gap Mott insulators.

V Guiot¹, L Cario, E Janod

¹Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, CNRS, Nantes, France.

Nature Communications

|April 18, 2013

Summary

Strong electric fields induce avalanche breakdown in Mott insulators, not Zener breakdown. This study reveals a universal power law for the threshold electric field, but with significantly longer avalanche delay times.

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Area of Science:

Condensed Matter Physics
Materials Science
Solid-State Physics

Background:

Mott transitions driven by electric fields are of increasing interest.
Theoretical models suggest Zener breakdown in Mott insulators, but experimental evidence is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate the mechanism of dielectric breakdown in narrow-gap Mott insulators GaTa4Se(8-x)Te(x).
Compare experimental findings with theoretical predictions for Zener and avalanche breakdown.

Main Methods:

Characterization of current-voltage (I-V) properties of GaTa4Se(8-x)Te(x) under varying electric fields.
Analysis of the threshold electric field (Eth) and avalanche delay times.

Main Results:

Dielectric breakdown in GaTa4Se(8-x)Te(x) follows an avalanche mechanism, not Zener breakdown.
The threshold electric field (Eth) scales with the Mott-Hubbard gap (Eg) following Eth ∝ Eg^(2.5).
Observed avalanche delay times are orders of magnitude longer than in conventional semiconductors.

Conclusions:

Electric fields induce localized insulator-to-metal Mott transitions.
These transitions form conductive domains that grow into filamentary paths, leading to avalanche breakdown.
The findings challenge existing models and highlight unique breakdown dynamics in Mott insulators.