Electron tunneling between two-dimensional electronic systems in a heterostructure with a single doped barrier

Abstract

Electron tunneling in a heterostructure with a single doped barrier was investigated. Analysis of the experimental data showed that all features in the tunneling conductance are due to electron tunneling between two-dimensional electron sheets which appear on different sides of the barrier as a result of ionization of impurities in the barrier. Electron transport between the two-dimensional electron sheets and three-dimensional contact regions does not introduce significant distortions in the measured tunneling characteristics. In such structures there is no current flow along the two-dimensional electron gas; such a current ordinarily makes it difficult to investigate tunneling between two-dimensional electronic systems in magnetic fields.