Transport properties of the two-dimensional electron gas in AlP quantum wells at finite temperature including magnetic field and exchange–correlation effects

We investigate the transport scattering time, the single-particle relaxation time and the magnetoresistance of a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas in a GaP/AlP/GaP quantum well at zero and finite temperatures. We consider the interface-roughness and impurity scattering, and study the dependence of the mobility, scattering time and magnetoresistance on the carrier density, temperature and local-field correction. In the case of zero temperature and Hubbard local-field correction our results reduce to those of Gold and Marty (Physica E 40 (2008) 2028; Phys. Rev. B 76 (2007) 165309). We also discuss the possibility of a metal–insulator transition which might happen at low density.     

Mobility limited by cluster scattering in ternary alloy quantum wires

The mobility limited by cluster scattering in ternary alloy semiconductor quantum wire(QWR) is theoretically investigated under Born approximation. We calculate the screened mobility due to clusters(high indium composition InGaN) scattering in the InxGa1 xN QWR structure. The characteristics of the cluster scattering mechanism are discussed in terms of the indium composition of clusters, the one-dimensional electron gas(1DEG) concentration, and the radius of QWR. We find that the density, breadth of cluster, and the correlation length have a strong effect on the electron mobility due to cluster scattering. Finally, a comparison of the cluster scattering is made with the alloy-disorder scattering. It is found that the cluster scattering acts as a significant scattering event to impact the resultant electron mobility in ternary alloy QWR.     

Transport properties of the two-dimensional electron gas in wide AlP quantum wells including temperature and correlation effects

We investigate the mobility, magnetoresistance and scattering time of a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas in a GaP/AlP/GaP quantum well of width L>L_c=45.7 Å at zero and finite temperatures. We consider the interface-roughness and impurity scattering, and study the dependence of the mobility, the resistance and scattering time ratio on the carrier density and quantum well width for different values of the impurity position and temperature using different approximations for the local-field correction. In the case of zero temperature and Hubbard local-field correction our results reduce to those of Gold and Marty (Phys. Rev. B. 76 (2007) 165309) [3]. We also study the correlation and multiple scattering effects on the total mobility and the critical density for a metal–insulator transition.     

不同散射机理对 Al2O3/InxGa1-xAs nMOSFET 反型沟道电子迁移率的影响

通过考虑体散射、界面电荷的库仑散射以及 Al₂O₃/In_xGa_1-xAs 界面粗糙散射等主要散射机理, 建立了以 Al₂O₃为栅介质In_xGa_1-xAs n 沟金属-氧化物-半导体场效应晶体管 (nMOSFETs) 反型沟道电子迁移率模型, 模拟结果与实验数据有好的符合. 利用该模型分析表明, 在低至中等有效电场下, 电子迁移率主要受界面电荷库仑散射的影响; 而在强场下, 电子迁移率则取决于界面粗糙度散射. 降低界面态密度, 减小 Al₂O₃/In_xGa_1-xAs 界面粗糙度, 适当提高In含量并控制沟道掺杂在合适值是提高 InGaAs nMOSFETs 反型沟道电子迁移率的主要途径. 关键词： InGaAs MOSFET 反型沟道电子迁移率 散射机理     

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.     

Alloy-disorder scattering of the interacting electron gas in quantum wells and heterostructures of Al x Ga1 − x As

The question whether alloy disorder is screened or unscreened is of fundamental importance. Therefore, we calculate the mobility of the interacting two-dimensional electron gas as realized in Al _x Ga_{1 ? x} As quantum wells and heterostructures in the presence of alloy-disorder scattering. For the screening we use the randomphase approximation and we include many-body effects due to exchange and correlation. We propose to determine the alloy disorder potential V _AD from mobility measurements. If we use V _AD = 1.04 eV we can explain recent experimental results obtained for quantum wells and heterostructures with ultrahigh mobility. From the anomalous linear temperature dependence of the mobility measured in heterostructures, we conclude that the alloy disorder is screened. More experiments are needed to confirm the screening of the alloy disorder and we propose some measurements.     

The tube character of electron drift in condensed inert gases

The behavior of an excess electron in condensed inert gases in an external electric field is considered at densities and temperatures at which the mobility of a slow electron is relatively high. On the basis of experimental data and a model of a pair electron interaction with atoms, an effective potential energy surface is constructed for an excess electron inside a dense inert gas. The region available for a slow electron consists of many intersecting channels that form a Delaunay network located between atoms. A drifting electron, as a quantum object, propagates along these channels (tubes), and electron transition between intersecting potential energy tubes of different directions provides an effective electron scattering. This mechanism of electron drift and scattering differs from that in gases and crystals. Peculiarities of electron drift inside dense inert gases are analyzed within the framework of this mechanism of electron scattering, leading to a moderate change of the electron mobility upon melting.     

Some properties of an electron gas in a quantizing magnetic field

The electron gas neutralized by a rigid positive background and in a quantizing magnetic field, is studied in a ‘quasi-classical’ model previously proposed by the author and collaborators. The plasma oscillation of the electron gas shows an acoustic-type dispersion for small wave vector. The potential behind an ion moving along the direction of the magnetic field is calculated and is found to have a sinusoidal behaviour. Some consequences of this potential are pointed out. The energy loss by a moving charge in the electron gas is shown to exhibit some interesting properties. Other quantities such as light scattering and magneto-acoustic oscillations are also discussed. A derivation is given for a ‘quasi-classical’ linear response in the finite relaxation time approximation.     

耦合电磁场对石墨烯量子磁振荡的影响

我们研究了包含自旋轨道耦合与杂质散射在内的石墨烯量子磁振荡对外加电磁场的响应.我们发现,石墨烯中自旋轨道耦合、电磁场以及边界共同修正了朗道能谱,且当电场与磁场比值超过某一临界值时,量子磁振荡会突然消失,这与非相对论二维电子气的情况显著不同.这种现象可以通过朗道量子化轨道由封闭转化为开放的半经典理论来解释.此外,我们还发现杂质散射和温度的共同作用会使得磁振荡振幅衰减.我们的结果可用于分析石墨烯及其类似结构(硅烯、锗烯、锡烯等)的费米能级与朗道能谱的相互作用,进而探测自旋轨道耦合引起的能隙.     

Interacting electron gas in a strong magnetic field

The density response function of an electron gas in a strong magnetic field shows logarithmic singularities due to scattering across the Fermi surface. We analyze the parquet equations for the vertex function in leading logarithmic order for a general interaction potential. The parquet equations are solved for a special interaction potential (Schulz and Keiter model). The divergence of the density response function at extremely high fields is discussed in connection with a possible transition to a Wigner lattice.     

Low temperature hole mobility in strained p-Si/Si1 − xGex/p-Si selectively doped double heterojunctions

We present a systematic theoretical study of the low-temperature (T =  0 K) quasi-two-dimensional-hole gas mobility in strained p-Si/Si_0.8Ge_0.2/p-Si selectively doped double heterojunctions. Ionized-impurity (remote and background), interface-roughness and alloy-scattering mechanisms are taken into account. In our calculations we use self-consistently calculated wavefunctions and a multi-subband transport model. We investigate the mobility dependence on the structural parameters, such as the spacer thickness and the well width. We comment on the significance of every scattering mechanism looking for the maximum hole mobility in these systems. Alloy scattering seems to be the main mobility-limiting mechanism resulting in a hole mobility which increases with the spacer thickness and the well width. Our theoretical results are consistent with experiment.     

Interface roughness,polar optical phonons,and the valley current of a resonant tunneling diode

Theory, numerical simulations, and experimental measurements of the valley current of a GaAs/AlAs resonant tunneling diode are compared. The effect on the valley current of different interface-roughness correlation models, island sizes, and asymmetric roughness is described. Initially, the valley current increases quadratically with island size. Between 6 and 10 nm there is a crossover and the contribution to the valley current begins to decrease. Asymmetric roughness on normal and inverted interfaces (smooth normal and rough in verted) results in order of magnitude different contributions to the valley current under forward and reverse bias. This asymmetry in the valley current occurs even when the polar optical phonon scattering is taken into account. The polar optical phonon scattering dominates the valley current.     

Multiplication of high-energy electrons in irradiated materials studied using the Boltzmann kinetic equation

Processes involved in the formation of electron collision cascades created by nonrelativistic high-energy electrons, which can develop in materials exposed to electron and gamma radiation fluxes, have been considered. The problem is solved using the Boltzmann kinetic equation for high-energy electrons moving in a medium. A model scattering indicatrix is constructed for this equation with an arbitrary potential of interaction between colliding particles. Using this scattering indicatrix, the distribution of the particle energies is obtained. Based on this energy distribution (with an arbitrary interparticle interaction potential), a cascade function is found that describes the multiplication of knock-out electrons (electron cascade) generated when a high-energy electron with a certain energy is scattered on the electron subsystem of the irradiated material. The cascade function has been calculated for the Coulomb potential of the interaction between a high-energy electron and atomic-shell electrons.     

Gas molecule-molecule interaction and the gas-surface scattering effect on the rarefied gas flow through a slit into a vacuum

The effect of the gas molecule-molecule interaction and the gas-surface scattering on the gas flow through a slit into a vacuum are investigated in a wide range of the gas rarefaction using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method. To study the gas molecule-molecule interaction influence, we used the variable hard sphere and variable soft sphere models defined for an inverse-power-law potential and the generalized hard sphere model defined for the 12–6 Lennard-Jones potential. The Maxwell, Cercignani-Lampis, and Epstein models were used to simulate the gas-surface scattering. This study demonstrates that the gas molecule-molecule interaction can have a significant influence on the rarefied gas flow through a slit, while the influence of the gas-surface scattering is negligibly small. The presented numerical results are in agreement with the corresponding experimental ones. The article is published in the original.     

Effect of interface-roughness scattering on mobility degradation in SiGe p-MOSFETs with a high-k dielectric/SiO2 gate stack＊

A physical model for mobility degradation by interface-roughness scattering and Coulomb scattering is proposed for SiGe p-MOSFET with a high-k dielectric/SiO2 gate stack. Impacts of the two kinds of scatterings on mobility degradation are investigated. Effects of interlayer （SiO2） thickness and permittivities of the high-k dielectric and interlayer on carrier mobility are also discussed. It is shown that a smooth interface between high-k dielectric and interlayer, as well as moderate permittivities of high-k dielectrics, is highly desired to improve carriers mobility while keeping alow equivalent oxide thickness. Simulated results agree reasonably with experimental data.     

Energy loss rate of two-dimensional electron gas in GaInAs/AlInAs, InSb/AlInSb and GaSb/AlGaAsSb heterostructures

Energy loss rates of two-dimensional electron gas in GaInAs/AlInAs, InSb/AlInSb and GaSb/AlGaAsSb heterostructures are theoretically investigated over a wide range of temperature based on the electron–one-phonon and electron–two-phonon interactions. Calculations are presented for electron acoustic one-phonon interaction via deformation potential and piezoelectric coupling and electron–LO phonon interaction with hot phonon effect. In addition, energy loss rate due to electron-two-zone edge transverse acoustic (TA) phonons is also presented. A very good agreement is obtained between the calculations and experimental data in GaInAs/AlInAs structure with the inclusion of electron–two-zone edge TA phonon interaction. In all these three structures energy loss is dominated by (i) acoustic one-phonon scattering at low temperatures, (ii) two-TA zone edge phonons at intermediate temperatures and (iii) LO phonons at high temperatures. It is observed that, hot phonon effect reduces the energy loss rate considerably in these structures.     

Probing the thermal atoms of a Bose gas through Raman transition

We explore the many body physics of a Bose condensed atom gas at finite temperature through the Raman transition between two hyperfine levels. Unlike the Bragg scattering where the phonon-like nature of the collective excitations has been observed, a different branch of thermal atom excitation is found theoretically in the Raman scattering. This excitation is predicted in the generalized random phase approximation (GRPA) and has a gapped and parabolic dispersion relation. The gap energy results from the exchange interaction and is released during the Raman transition. The scattering rate is determined versus the transition frequency ω and the transferred momentum q and shows the corresponding resonance around this gap. Nevertheless, the Raman scattering process is attenuated by the superfluid part of the gas. The macroscopic wave function of the condensate deforms its shape in order to screen locally the external potential displayed by the Raman light beams. This screening is total for a condensed atom transition in order to prevent the condensate from incoherent scattering. The experimental observation of this result would explain some of the reasons why asuperfluid condensate moves coherentlywithout any friction with its surrounding.     

Inelastic electron scattering by an intense laser beam of the Hermite-Gaussian (0, 1) mode

We point out that the inelastic electron scattering, which originates form the non-linear Compton scattering in intense laser field, is much more prominent in the Hermite-Gaussian (0, 1) mode than that in the (0, 0) mode. This result could be of potential interest for physicists to observe the non-linearity of the free-electron-photon interaction in experiment.     

Processes in condensed inert gases involving excess electrons

Drift of an excess electron in dense and condensed inert gases in external electric field and excitation of atoms by electron impact in these systems are analyzed. The effective potential energy surface for an excess electron at a given electric field strength consists of wells and hills, and the actions of neighboring atoms are therefore separated by saddles of the potential energy. At such atomic densities that the difference of interaction potentials for an excess electron between neighboring wells and hills of the potential energy surface becomes small, the electron mobility is large. This is realized for heavy inert gases (Ar, Kr, Xe) with a negative scattering length of an electron on individual atoms. In these cases, the average potential energy of the electron interaction with atoms corresponds to attraction at low atomic densities and to repulsion at high densities. The transition from attraction to repulsion at moderate atomic densities leads to a maximum of the electron mobility. A gas model for electron drift in condensed inert gases is constructed on the basis of this character of interaction. Due to high electron mobility, condensed inert gases provide high efficiency of transformation of the electric field energy into the energy of emitting photons through drifting electrons. It is shown that, although the role of formation of autodetaching states in the course of electron drift is more important for condensed inert gases than for rare gases, this effect acts weakly on exciton production at optimal atomic densities. The parameters of a self-maintained electric discharge in condensed inert gases as a source of ultraviolet radiation are discussed from the standpoint of electron drift processes.     

Coupled plasmon-LO phonon modes and Lindhard-Mermin dielectric function of n-GaAs

The wave vector dependence of coupled plasmon-LO phonon modes is studied with opaque Raman spectroscopy. The dispersion of the coupled modes is directly related to the wavevector dependence of the dielectric function of the electron gas and is influenced by finite temperatures and finite damping. The broadening of the wavevector due to absorption is also important. These effects are explained with the quantum mechanical Lindhard dielectric function for finite temperature including electron scattering in the relaxation time approximation of Mermin.