Energy Relaxation Process in<i>n</i>-Type InSb under Strong Longitudinal Magnetic Fields

Abstract

The energy relaxation process in n -type InSb at liquid helium temperatures under the presence of strong longitudinal magnetic fields has been analysed taking into account the existence of an impurity band. The impurity band is found to act as a thermal reservoir of the conduction band electrons, which strongly affects the energy relaxation process. The observed saturation in the magnetic field dependence of the energy relaxation time is ascribed to the reduction of the rate of energy dissipation of conduction band electrons to the lattice, which arises from the interaction between electrons in the conduction and the impurity band.