Enhancement of multisubband electron mobility in parabolic AlxGa1−xAs-GaAs double quantum well structures

Abstract

We analyze the low temperature multisubband electron mobility in AlxGa1−xAs–GaAs parabolic double quantum well structures in which the outer barriers are delta doped with Si. The structural parabolic potential, obtained from gradual variation of the alloy fraction x (from 0 to xp), partly compensates the triangular like potential profile near the outer interfaces inducing the electrons to move towards the centre of the wells. We study the effect of interplay of ionized impurity (II) scattering and alloy disorder (AD) scattering on the subband mobility. We show that when single subband is occupied both II- and AD-scatterings govern the mobility. However, once second subband is occupied, the mobility is influenced by II-scattering mediated by intersubband effects. It is gratifying to show that the mobility is considerably enhanced in parabolic double quantum wells (0.3 ≥ xp > 0) compared to the square double quantum well structures (xp = 0) at large well widths where double subband is occupied. By increasing the electron density (Ns), the enhancement increases further. We also show that in case of a parabolic single quantum well structure large enhancement in mobility is obtained compared to that of square single quantum well structure as long as single subband is occupied, unlike the double quantum well systems. Our results of mobility in parabolic double quantum wells can be utilized for low temperature device applications.