The Effect of Non-Equilibrium Acoustic Phonons on the Tunnel Current in GaAs/AlAs Superlattices

Authors

S. A. CAVILL
F. F. OUALI
L. J. CHALLIS
A. J. KENT
M. HENINI
A. V. AKIMOV

Abstract

We present the first study of the effect of ballistic acoustic phonons generated by a heated metal film on the tunnel current in GaAs/AlAs superlattices. The phonon-induced increase of the tunnel current as a function of applied voltage has a maximum at a voltage that varies linearly with heater temperature both in zero and applied magnetic field. The behaviour is consistent with phonon-assisted tunnelling by stimulated phonon emission. The system acts as a phonon spectrometer in the < 1THz frequency region with a resolution of approximately 200 GHz.

DOI

-

First Page

745

Last Page

750

Recommended Citation

CAVILL, S. A, OUALI, F. F, CHALLIS, L. J, KENT, A. J, HENINI, M, & AKIMOV, A. V (1999). The Effect of Non-Equilibrium Acoustic Phonons on the Tunnel Current in GaAs/AlAs Superlattices. Turkish Journal of Physics 23 (4): 745-750. https://doi.org/-