Zener tunneling in semiconductors with degenerate band structure

The theory of tunneling between a degenerate and a non-degenerate band system is investigated. The wave function for the former, in the presence of the electric field, shows that at the appropriate branch point of the energy function the electron can make a transition between degenerate bands. These wave functions are used to calculate the valence-conduction band tunneling rate, in a uniform electric field, for Kane's four band model. © 1964.