Drift velocity of electrons in quantum wells of selectively doped In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}As/Al{sub x}In{sub 1-x}As and In{sub 0.2}Ga{sub 0.8}As/Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}As heterostructures in high electric fields

• Published in: Semiconductors (Woodbury, N.Y.) Vol. 45; no. 6
• Main Authors: Pozela, J., Pozela, K., Raguotis, R., Juciene, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 15-06-2011
• Subjects: DOPED MATERIALS; ELECTRIC FIELDS; ELECTRON MOBILITY; GALLIUM ARSENIDES; INDIUM ARSENIDES; MATERIALS SCIENCE; MONTE CARLO METHOD; QUANTUM WELLS
• ISSN: 1063-7826; 1090-6479
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063782611060212

The field dependence of drift velocity of electrons in quantum wells of selectively doped In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}As/Al{sub x}In{sub 1-x}As and In{sub 0.2}Ga{sub 0.8}As/Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}As heterostructures is calculated by the Monte Carlo method. The influence of varying the molar fraction of Al in the composition of the Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}As and Al{sub x}In{sub 1-x}As barriers of the quantum well on the mobility and drift velocity of electrons in high electric fields is studied. It is shown that the electron mobility rises as the fraction x of Al in the barrier composition is decreased. The maximum mobility in the In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}As/In{sub 0.8}Al{sub 0.2}As quantum wells exceeds the mobility in a bulk material by a factor of 3. An increase in fraction x of Al in the barrier leads to an increase in the threshold field E{sub th} of intervalley transfer (the Gunn effect). The threshold field is E{sub th} = 16 kV/cm in the In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}As/Al{sub 0.5}In{sub 0.5}As heterostructures and E{sub th} = 10 kV/cm in the In{sub 0.2}Ga{sub 0.8}As/Al{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As heterostructures. In the heterostructures with the lowest electron mobility, E{sub th} = 2-3 kV/cm, which is lower than E{sub th} = 4 kV/cm in bulk InGaAs.