The effect of non-parabolicity on the energy loss rate of hot electrons in narrow gap semiconductors in the extreme quantum limit at low temperatures

Abstract

The effect of non-parabolicity on the energy loss rate of hot electrons in narrow gap semiconductors in the extreme quantum limit was investigated at low temperatures. The theoretical calculation includes the electron scattering due to acoustic phonons via the deformation potential and the piezoelectric coupling. The non-equipartition of phonons, the Landau level broadening and the free carrier screening are also included. The theoretical results obtained were compared with the experimental results for n-HgCdTe and n-InSb, respectively. The theoretical energy loss rates were found to be larger than the experimental loss rates assuming thermal phonon distribution. The band non-parabolicity was found to enhance the energy loss rate in the extreme quantum limit.