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Resonant tunneling through single GaAlAs barriers
Author(s) -
Chaabane H.,
Bourgoin J. C.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.2221950120
Subject(s) - quantum tunnelling , condensed matter physics , scattering , molecular beam epitaxy , doping , materials science , electron , offset (computer science) , band offset , epitaxy , optoelectronics , band gap , physics , valence band , optics , nanotechnology , quantum mechanics , layer (electronics) , computer science , programming language
The current‐voltage characteristics of molecular beam epitaxy grown GaAlAs barriers, imbedded in n + type doped GaAs, have been recorded in the range 77 to 300 K and analyzed. Below ∼130 K and for high enough electric fields, oscillations appear on these characteristics that can be quantitatively accounted for by the phenomenon of resonant tunneling. The fit between theory and experiment allows to deduce the band discontinuity (250 meV), equal to the expected value for electron tunneling into the T band. Defects have then been introduced by irradiation to evaluate the concentration of scattering centers necessary to destroy these oscillations. The band offset becomes 380 meV when defects are present which indicates that defect scattering induces tunneling into the x band.