ISSN:
1077-3118
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
The power loss of electrons in a strongly coupled n-type GaAs/AlxGa1−xAs superlattice is studied by analyzing the temperature and electric-field dependence of the interminiband absorption. Electrons are heated by an electric-field pulse and the resulting change of the infrared absorption spectrum is monitored by a step-scan Fourier transform spectrometer operated in a time-resolved, gated mode. The measured power loss is higher than predicted by a simple three-dimensional calculation including acoustic (deformation potential and piezoelectric) and polar-optical phonon emission. Possible explanations for this, such as relaxation via folded acoustic phonons or coupled plasmon–phonon modes, are discussed. The energy relaxation time, which can be extracted from the power balance, decreases from 300 ps at 15 K to 20 ps at 48 K. © 1996 American Institute of Physics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.117728
