Semi-insulating GaAs shows current oscillations if a high dc voltage is applied to a sample. These oscillations are caused by traveling high-electric-field domains that are formed as a result of electric-field-enhanced electron trapping. This article describes the various types of experiments that have been carried out with this system, including recent ones that use the electro-optic Pockels effect in order to measure the local electric fields in the sample in a highly accurate manner. An historical overview of the theoretical developments is given and shows that no satisfying theory is currently available. A list of all the required ingredients for a successful theory is provided and the experimental data are explained in a qualitative manner. Furthermore, the main electron trap in semi-insulating GaAs is the native defect EL2, the main properties of which are described.
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Anke Neumann (2001) studied this question.
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