Applied Physics Letters · 1987 · 81 citations · 12 references
EngineeringElectrical EngineeringPhysicsOptoelectronicsSemiconductor DevicesSemiconductor MaterialsAvalanche ProcessesNanoelectronicsQuantum OptoelectronicsQuantum TunnelingQuantum WellsSemiconductor PhysicsAvalanche GainElectron Impact IonizationElectron IonizationGain MechanismsQuantum Well GainQuantum Well HeterostructuresQuantum Well StructuresTunneling In Quantum Well Structures
We have achieved avalanche gain at a wavelength of 10.3 μm in AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs quantum well superlattices. The photoelectrons are generated by resonant intersubband absorption and tunneling, and then avalanche via hot-electron impact ionization of carriers out of the quantum wells. Good agreement is obtained between a theoretical calculation of this process and our experiments.
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