Energy- and momentum-loss rates of one-dimensional hot electrons in semiconductor quantum-well wires

Abstract

Energy- and momentum-loss rates of degenerate hot electrons moving one-dimensionally in a quantum-well wire structure of square cross section of side length L are calculated theoretically considering polar coupling to longitudinal-optic (LO) phonons and deformation potential and piezoelectric couplings to acoustic phonons. Piezoelectric scattering contributes the least, while the effect of deformation potential scattering in energy loss is unimportant compared to that of LO phonon scattering for electron temperatures (Te) above about 50 K. In momentum-loss rate, however, acoustic scattering continues to be important at higher values of Te. The nonequilibrium distribution of LO phonons is found to reduce both the energy- and momentum-loss rates. The reduction factor of the total energy-loss rate is 4.4 for L=10 nm and 6.2 for L=6 nm at Te =100 K. The corresponding values for the net momentum-loss rate are 2.3 and 2.5, respectively.