OHMIC MOBILITY OF ELECTRONS IN SILICON

Ohmic mobility of electrons in Si has been theoretically studied as a function of temperature. In our theoietical model many-valley structure of Si conduction band, intra-valley scattering of acoustic phonons and impurities and intervalley scattering of pholons and electrons were included. The Green's function approach developed by Lei and Ting was extended to evaluate the Trictional forces resulting from several scattering mechanisms. The numerical results compared with experimental data and indicated the effect of intervalley electron-electron interaction on the mobility of electrons.     

Enhanced Third-Order Nonlinearity in Semiconductors Giving Rise to 1 THz Radiation

Third harmonic generation (THG) efficiency is shown to be a greatly enhanced at the onset of inelastic scattering of electrons on optic phonons. Scaling experiments are performed on n-type InP at the pump wave frequency of 9.43 GHz at 80 K. Monte Carlo modeling is employed for scaling the effect to the 3rd harmonic frequency of 1 THz. The THG efficiency in n-type GaAs and InP as well as in the wurtzite phase of n-type InN and GaN compound crystals is compared to that in n-type Si. The efficiency maximum is found to weaken due to the quasi-elastic scattering on acoustic phonons and elastic scattering on ionized impurities. Nevertheless, the THG efficiency at 1 THz in InP crystals cooled down to liquid nitrogen temperatures is predicted to be 2 orders of magnitude higher than the reference value of 0.1% experimentally recorded up to now in n-type Si.     

GaAs中与施主高激发态有关的共振极化子效应

报道了n型GaAs的杂质磁光电导谱．在相对低的磁场下观察到束缚电子高激发态与LO声子的共振相互作用；讨论了共振极化子光电导响应随磁场强度变化的行为，以及钉扎在LO声子能量处的光电导峰的物理起源     

Anisotropic and polarized intraband light emission of hot electrons

Far infrared luminescence of hot electrons in InSb have been studied. The emission probabilities derived in the second order perturbation are obtained for different scattering mechanisms: acoustic phonons, optical phonons and impurities. The origin of anisotropy and polarization of the light emission due to anisotropy of the electron distribution function under the electric field is described theoretically and calculated using the Monte Carlo method. The theoretical conclusions are confirmed by the experiment.     

Parallel transport of electrons in double quantum wells

Calculations have been performed on the mobility of electrons in a double quantum well structure in which the barrier separating the two parts of the channel is sufficiently thin to allow tunnelling. The subband structure is completely taken into account in a self-consistent calculation and all significant scattering mechanisms (scattering on remote impurities, on selectively introduced channel impurities, on acoustic and optical phonons) are included in order to obtain quantitatively realistic results from low to room temperature. We discuss how the thickness of the barrier influences the conductivity of the channel vs density and show that it is possible to design structures having negative transconductance with a peak-to-valley ratio of 6 at T = 77 K.     

A microscopic model of sequential resonant tunneling transport through weakly coupled superlattices

A microscopic model is developed for resonant tunneling transport in weakly coupled semiconductor superlattices in a constant external electric field. The model takes into account multiple subbands and electric-field dependence of scattering by acoustic and optical phonons, charged impurities, and interface roughness. The model is used as a basis for computing the resonant-tunneling profiles for structures with small size-quantization energies. The computed results are in good agreement with experiment. In structures of this type, an important role is played by electric-field dependence of scattering processes and the threshold behavior of elastic processes is strongly manifested. A substantial asymmetry is predicted not only for the first tunneling resonance, but also for higher order resonant tunneling processes.     

Inelastic light scattering by acoustic phonons in quantum dots and quantum films

The Raman scattering spectra were analyzed in order to find and explain similarities and differences in the interaction between electrons and acoustic phonons in quantum dots and quantum films.     

Investigation of hot electrons and hot phonons generated within an AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor

We review our recent results obtained on an AlN/GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistor. The temperature of the electrons drifting under a relatively-high electric field is significantly higher than the lattice temperature (i.e., the hot electrons are generated). These hot electrons are produced through the Fröhlich interaction between the drifting electrons and long-lived longitudinal-optical phonons. By fitting electric field vs. electron temperature deduced from the measurements of photoluminescence spectra to a theoretical model, we have deduced the longitudinal-optical-phonon emission time for each electron is to be on the order of 100 fs. We have also measured the decay time constant for LO phonons to be about 4.2 ps. An electric field present in a GaN/AlN heterostructure can bring both the first-order and second-order Raman scattering processes into strong resonances. The resonant Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman scattering results in the increase and decrease of non-equilibrium longitudinal-optical phonon temperatures, respectively. Moreover, the phonon temperature measured from the Raman scattering is increased with an applied electric field at a much higher rate than the lattice temperature due to the presence of field-induced non-equilibrium longitudinal-optical phonons.     

Electric-field-induced impact ionization of excitons in GaN and GaN/AlGaN quantum wells

Impact ionization of exciton states in epitaxial GaN films and GaN/AlGaN quantum-well structures was studied. The study was done using an optical method based on the observation of exciton photoluminescence quenching under application of an electric field. It was established that electron scattering on impurities dominates over that from acoustic phonons in electron relaxation in energy and momentum. The mean free path of the hot electrons was estimated. The hot-electron mean free path in GaN/AlGaN quantum wells was found to be an order of magnitude larger than that in epitaxial GaN films, which is due to the electron scattering probability being lower in the two-dimensional case.     

Optical and intervalley scattering in quantized inversion layers in semiconductors

The momentum relaxation time for scattering of electrons in quantized levels of an inversion layer on a semiconductor surface is calculated for interactions via optical and intervalley phonons. A selection rule is found which prohibits transitions between subbands belonging to the same valley or set of valleys, at least in the zero order to which these scattering processes may occur. Relaxation times for the zero-order interaction and the first-order interaction are obtained for intervalley phonons. The results are applied to the case of a (100)-silicon surface, with electrons in the three lowest subbands (with energy levels E₀, E₁, E'₀) of the two sets of valleys. Agreement with the experimental data of Fang and Fowler is good when the combined effects of intervalley and acoustic scattering are considered.     

Wannier-Stark effect and electron-phonon interaction in macroporous silicon structures with SiO2 nanocoatings

We investigated the contribution of electron-phonon interaction to the broadening parameter Γ of the Wannier-Stark ladder levels in oxidized macroporous silicon structures with different concentration of Si-O-Si states (TO and LO phonons). The obtained value of the Wannier-Stark ladder parameter Γ is much less than the djacent level energy evaluated from giant oscillations of resonance electron scattering on the surface states. We determined the influence of broadening on the oscillation amplitude in IR absorption spectra as interaction of the surface multi-phonon polaritons with scattered electrons. This interaction transforms the resonance electron scattering in samples with low concentration of Si-O-Si states into ordinary scattering on ionized impurities for samples with high concentration of Si-O-Si states. The transformation takes place at the scattering lifetime coinciding with the period of electron oscillations in the surface electric field.     

Effects of screening of the interaction potential on the mobility characteristics of degenerate surface layers in compound semiconductors at low lattice temperatures

The rates of scattering of the conduction electrons in degenerate two-dimensional electron gas in the surface of compound semiconductors at low lattice temperatures have been obtained for interaction with the piezoelectric and deformation potential acoustic phonons, under different prevailing conditions. The calculations have been carried out taking due account of the screening of the interaction potential at low temperatures where again the phonon energy cannot be neglected in comparison to the average thermal energy of the electrons and, as a result, the equipartition approximation for the phonon distribution can hardly be valid. The scattering rates thus obtained for inversion layers in GaAs and ZnO are found to depend upon the carrier energy, the lattice temperature and the level of degeneracy in quite involved manners, which are very different from what follows if one makes the simplifying approximation of negligible phonon energy or disregards the effects of screening. The mobility characteristics are then obtained using these scattering rates. The results show how the screening of the interaction potential and the finite energy of the intravalley acoustic and piezoelectric phonons significantly change the mobility characteristics of the degenerate surface layers at low lattice temperatures. The inadequacies of the present theory are pointed out and recommendations for possible refinements are discussed.     

Influence of Nonequilibrium LO Phonons on High-frequency Performance of One-dimensional Hot Electrons in Quantum Wires of Polar Semiconductors

Small-signal ac transport of degenerate one-dimensional hot electrons in quantum wires of GaAs and In_0.53Ga_0.47As is studied for lattice temperatures of 77 K and 300 K. The carrier energy loss via polar optic phonons and momentum losses via polar optic phonons, acoustic phonons and ionized impurities are included in the calculations. Alloy disorder scattering in momentum loss is additionally incorporated for (In,Ga)As. The consideration of nonequilibrium optical phonons or hot phonons is found to enhance the 3dB cut-off frequency (f_3dB) considerably, where the ac mobility falls to 0.707 of its low frequency value. f_3dB is generally higher for (In,Ga)As quantum wire than for GaAs.     

Galvanomagnetic effects in n-type gallium antimonide

This paper reports the theoretical and experimental study performed on Hall mobility and free carrier Faraday rotation in a degenerate n-GaSb sample in the temperature range 77–300K. Following relaxation time approximation the mobility is estimated separately for the Γ- and L-valley taking into account the scattering of electrons due to ionised impurities, space charge, polar optical phonons, deformation potential, intervalley acoustic and optical phonons. The effective mobility is calculated considering a two valley model, degeneracy and non-parabolicity of the Γ-valley, and compared with these experimental results. Microwave Faraday rotation data at 77 and 300K is analysed generalising the d.c. magneto-conductivity tensor components as derived by Bordure and Savelli to the high frequency, and is used to confirm the scattering mechanisms and band parameters used in the analysis of d.c. galvanomagnetic results.     

On the Theory of Brillouin Scattering in Piezoelectric Semiconductors with Acoustic Phonon-Conduction Electron Interaction

The theory of nonresonant Brillouin scattering in anisotropic piezoelectric semiconductors with deformation potential coupling and piezoelectric coupling between excited systems of acoustic phonons and conduction electrons is reviewed. The scattering efficiency is calculated using the appropriate dyadic electromagnetic GreeN′s function. The depletion of the scattered intensity arising from a non phase-matched scattering kinematics and from a spatial exponential decay of the sound amplitude is taken into account. The contributions to the Brillouin scattering from the free-carrier-screened indirect photoelastic effect and from the free-carrier density modulation are expressed in terms of the self-consistent electric field. This field is obtained from a Boltzmann-equation calculation of the effective ac conductivity tensor. The acoustic dispersion of the Brillouin-scattering efficiency is considered, and some possibilities of determining electronic transport properties by means of Brillouin scattering are outlined.     

Phonons in Ge/Si superlattices with Ge quantum dots

Ge/Si superlattices containing Ge quantum dots were prepared by molecular beam epitaxy and studied by resonant Raman scattering. It is shown that these structures possess vibrational properties of both two-and zero-dimensional objects. The folded acoustic phonons observed in the low-frequency region of the spectrum (up to 15th order) are typical for planar superlattices. The acoustic phonon lines overlap with a broad emission continuum that is due to the violation of the wave-vector conservation law by the quantum dots. An analysis of the Ge and Ge-Si optical phonons indicates that the Ge quantum dots are pseudoamorphous and that mixing of the Ge and Si atoms is insignificant. The longitudinal optical phonons undergo a low-frequency shift upon increasing laser excitation energy (2.54–2.71 eV) because of the confinement effect in small-sized quantum dots, which dominate resonant Raman scattering.     

Electron-phonon interaction in single-wall carbon nanotubes: A time-domain study

We investigate the electron-phonon (e-ph) interaction in single-wall carbon nanotube samples at room temperature using femtosecond time-resolved photoemission. By probing electrons from the vicinity of the Fermi level we are able to study the e-ph interaction in the metallic nanotube species only. The observed electron dynamics can be used to calculate e-ph scattering matrix elements for two likely scattering scenarios: forward scattering from twistons and backscattering by longitudinal acoustic phonons. The corresponding matrix elements reveal an intrinsically weak e-ph interaction approximately 50% smaller than predicted by tight-binding calculations.     

Electron-phonon scattering in an asymmetric double barrier resonant tunneling structure

We calculate the electron-phonon scattering rate for an asymmetric double barrier resonant tunneling structure based on dielectric continuum theory, including all phonon modes, and show that interface phonons contribute much more to the scattering rate than do bulk-like LO phonons for incident energies which are approximately within an order of magnitude of the Fermi energy. The maximum scattering rate occurs for incident electron energies near the quantum well resonance. Subband nonparabolicity has a significant influence on electron-phonon scattering in these structures. We show that the relaxation time is comparable to the dwell time of electrons in the quantum well for a typical resonant tunneling structure. Received: 23 December 1997 / Revised: 24 March 1998 / Accepted: 9 March 1998     

Mobility as controlled by the transverse component of phonon wave vector in quantum layers at low temperatures

Without resorting to either the Kawaji’s simplified model of interaction with only two-dimensional phonons or to the equipartition approximation for the phonon distribution, the characteristics of the momentum relaxation time of the conduction electrons in a quantized surface layer for interaction with intravalley acoustic phonons have been analysed under the condition of low temperature. The scattering and the mobility characteristics thus obtained for an n-channel (1 0 0)-oriented Si inversion layer are apparently quite different from what follows in the traditional framework.     

Acoustic phonons transport in a quantum waveguide embedded double defects

By using scattering matrix method, we investigate the acoustic phonons transport in a quantum waveguide embedded double defects at low temperatures. When acoustic phonons propagate through the waveguide, the total transmission coefficient versus the reduced phonon frequency exhibits a series of resonant peaks and dips, and acoustic waves interfere with each other in the waveguide to form standing wave with particular wavelengths. In the waveguide with void defects, acoustic phonons whose frequencies approach zero can transport without scattering. The acoustic phonons propagating in the waveguide with clamped material defects, the phonons frequencies must be larger than a threshold frequency. It is also found that the thermal conductance versus temperature is qualitatively different for different types of defects. At low temperatures, when the double defects are void, the universal quantum thermal conductance and a thermal conductance plateau can be clearly observed. However, when the double defects consist of clamped material, the quantized thermal conductance disappears but a threshold temperature where mode 0 can be excited emerges. The results can provide some references in controlling thermal conductance artificially and the design of phonon devices.