A large enhancement of the maximum drift velocity of electrons in the channel of a field-effect heterotransistor

Abstract

It is shown that the optical-phonon momentum quantization in a GaAs quantum well resulting from the introduction of an InAs quantum-dot barrier layer provides for the elimination of inelastic scattering of electrons by optical phonons and, thus, makes the acceleration of electrons above the saturation drift velocity possible. It is shown experimentally that the maximum drift velocity of electrons in high electric fields in AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure with InAs quantum-dot barriers introduced into the GaAs quantum well exceeds the saturation drift velocity in bulk GaAs by as much as a factor of 10. Such a rise in the maximum drift velocity of electrons ensures increased maximum current density, transconductance, and cutoff frequency of the heterostructure field-effect transistor with quantum dots.