Acoustic phonon modulation of the electron response in tunnel-coupled quantum wells

Abstract

Modulation of the electron properties of tunnel-coupled double quantum wells by acoustic phonon pumping is considered. Phonon-induced voltage (or induced dipole moment) and phonon-drag effect are calculated for the case of high-energy phonon excitation. Linear electron response, with respect to the phonon-pumping intensity, is studied taking into account intrawell and interwell scattering processes due to interface roughness. From numerical estimations we obtained a phonon-induced drop in the potential on the order of 0.1--0.01 meV and a characteristic drag velocity on the order of 100 cm/s for a nonequilibrium phonon temperature equal to 20 K. The possible applications of such structures are noted.