Electronics Letters · 1980 · 220 citations · 0 references
EngineeringMaterials EngineeringMaterials ScienceElectronic MaterialsSemiconductor DevicesSemiconductor MaterialsElectron-phonon InteractionsElectronic Band StructureQuantum WellsSemiconductor Device MaterialsSemiconductor HeterostructuresSemiconductor PhysicsHeterojunction DevicesHeterojunctionsHeterostructure DevicesHeterostructuresPhonon Mean Free PathQuantum Well HeterostructuresSemiconductor Heterojunctions
Calculations are reported showing that in multilayered heterojunction structures the effective impact ionisation rates for electrons and holes can be very different, even if they are the same in the basic bulk materials. The reason for this is the difference in the band-edge discontinuities for electrons and holes and the lower phonon mean free path for holes in quantum well structures.