Multisubband electron mobility in a parabolic quantum well structure under the influence of an applied electric field

Abstract

We study the multisubband electron mobility in a barrier delta doped AlxGa1−xAs parabolic quantum well structure under the influence of an applied electric field perpendicular to the interface plane. We consider the alloy fraction x = 0.3 for barriers and vary x from 0.0 to 0.1 for the parabolic well. Electrons diffuse into the well and confine within the triangular like potentials near the interfaces due to Coulomb interaction with ionized donors. The parabolic structure potential, being opposite in nature, partly compensates the Coulomb potential. The external electric field further amends the potential structure leading to an asymmetric potential profile. Accordingly the energy levels, wave functions and occupation of subbands change. We calculate low temperature electron mobility as a function of the electric field and show that when two subbands are occupied, the mobility is mostly dominated by ionised impurity scattering mediated by intersubband effects. As the field increases transition from double subband to single subband occupancy occurs. A sudden enhancement in mobility is obtained due to curtailment of intersubband effects. Thereafter the mobility is governed by both impurity and alloy disorder scatterings. Our analysis of mobility as a function of the electric field for different structural parameters shows interesting results.