Non-linear transport properties of miniband conduction in the presence of crossed electric and magnetic fields: A semi-classical approach

Abstract

In this paper we compare a series of perpendicular transport measurements for short period GaAs-AlAs superlattices in presence of a magnetic field applied parallel to the layers with the semi-classical calculations of the miniband conduction properties. The theoretical approach takes into account the local solution of the Boltzmann equation in the presence of scattering mechanisms such as phonons and interface fluctuations. The Poisson and drift-diffusion equations have been self-consistently solved to obtain the current density vs the applied electrical field characteristics, which is directly compared with the experimental measurements. A good agreement is found at 300 K for all values of the electric and magnetic fields. At low temperatures a pronounced disagreement is observed when the electric field F is greater than the critical value F c that determines the negative differential resistance regime in the current-voltage characteristics. We discuss the physical origin of this difference.