Electrothermal instability

Electrothermal instability refers to a phenomenon that can occur in certain types of systems, particularly in plasmas and semiconductor devices, where an interplay between thermal conductivity and electric fields leads to unstable conditions. In essence, it describes a situation in which an increase in temperature can lead to an increase in electric current, which in turn can cause further heating, creating a feedback loop that can result in significant fluctuations or even catastrophic failure.