in: Proc. HCIS-11, Kyoto 1999, Physica B 272, 157-159 (1999)
Complex behavior due to electron heating in superlattices
exhibiting high-frequency current oscillations.
H. Steuer, A. Wacker, and E. Schöll
Institut für Theoretische Physik, Technische Universität Berlin,
Hardenbergstraße 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany
Abstract
Nonlinear vertical transport in semiconductor
superlattices is investigated theoretically taking into account
electron heating and layer width fluctuations. Due to electron
heating the local current-field-characteristic displays an S-shaped
bistable part, in addition to the N-shaped regime induced by resonant
tunneling at low fields. The layer width fluctuations can explain the
experimentally observed jumps in the time-averaged
current-voltage-characteristic under high frequency oscillations.