Polar optical phonon limited energy and momentum relaxation of hot electrons in a GaAs-quantum well (QW)

The average energy loss rate, the energy- as well as the momentum relaxation time of hot electrons confined in a GaAs-square quantum well are calculated as a function of the external controllable parametersn _s (electron density),T (lattice temperature) andT _e (electron temperature) for the interaction of the charge carriers with bulk- and surface polar optical phonons. Analytical expressions are derived in the limit of vanishing quantum well width at non-degeneracy and degeneracy of the electron system. Both energy-and momentum relaxation time are found to be complicated functions of the ratiosT _D /T _e andT _D /T withT _D being the Debye-temperature of the polar optical phonon involved in the scattering. In a thick (very thin) QW the energy loss rate to bulk PO-phonons is found to be larger (smaller) than the corresponding loss rate to surface modes. The energy- (momentum-) relaxation times are found to be constant (increasing) functions ofn _s at non-degeneracy (degeneracy) of the electron system. Dedicated to Professor Karlheinz Seeger on the occasion of his 60th birthday