Avalanche Breakdown * Avalanche breakdown can occur when the electric field in the material is great enough to accelerate free electrons to the point that, when they strike atoms in the material, they can knock other electrons free. In general purpose semiconductor devices such commmon diodes, MOSFETs, transistors, it poses an upper limit on the operating voltages since the associated electric fields can start the process and cause excessive (if not unlimited) current flow and destruction of the device.Avalanche Breakdown * Once the necessary field strength has been achieved, all that is necessary to start the avalanche effect is a free electron. « And since even in the best insulators a tiny number of free electrons are always present, an avalanche will always occur.Avalanche Breakdown As avalanche breakdown begins, free electrons are accelerated by the electric field to very high speeds. As these high-speed electrons move through the material they inevitably strike atoms. If their velocity is not sufficient for avalanche breakdown (because the electric field is not strong enough) they are absorbed by the atoms and the process halts.Avalanche Breakdown However, if their velocity is high enough, when they strike an atom, they knock an electron free from it, ionizing it. Both the original electron and the one that has just been knocked free are then accelerated by the electric field and strike other atoms, in turn knocking additional electrons free.Avalanche Breakdown * As this process continues, the number of free electrons moving through the material increases exponentially, often reaching a maximum in just picoseconds. * The avalanche can result in the flow of very large currents, limited only by the external circuitry.Avalanche Breakdown + Reverse Characteristic Curve * As the applied voltage is increased, the acceleration of majority carriers is also increased