Equal-areas rule for gallium-arsenide avalanche diodes

The equal-areas rule is well known in the theory of Gunn diodes. It has recently been proposed that the rule be extended to gallium-arsenide IMPATTS. The letter shows that the equal-areas rule, in a slightly modified form, may be applied to carrier transport in avalanche diodes. This form of the rule may be applied to silicon and gallium-arsenide devices, and is the basis of a striking contrast between the two materials.