Avalanche breakdown occurs when a high reverse voltage is applied to a diode and large
electric field is created across the depletion region. The effect is dependant on the doping
levels in the region of the depletion layer. Minority carriers in the depletion region
associated with small leakage currents are accelerated by the field to high enough energies
so that they ionise silicon atoms when they collide with them. A new hole-electron pair are
created which accelerate in opposite directions causing further collisions and ionisation and
avalanche breakdown
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