Calculation of the cyclotron transition line-width by confined phonon scattering using the projection-reduction method

Abstract

A formula to obtain the cyclotron transition line-widths for a system of electrons interacting with confined-acoustic phonons through the deformation potential in a quantum well is derived using the projection-reduction method. The result contains the distribution functions for the electrons and phonons properly. Therefore, the phonon absorption and emission processes can be explained in an organized manner and the result can be represented diagrammatically, through which insight into the quantum dynamics of electrons in a solid can be obtained. The formula is used to calculate the cyclotron transition line-widths in silicon. It is shown that the line-width increases with increasing temperature but the well width and magnetic field dependence of the line-width are complicated. It is also shown that only a few low-energy confined modes contribute significantly to the line-widths.