Transient negative photoconductance in a charge transfer double quantum well under optical intersubband excitation

Abstract

Recently, it was shown that an electron–hole radiative recombination is induced by a mid-infrared light exciting an intersubband transition in a charge transfer double quantum well (CTDQW). This recombination was attributed to an upstream transfer of electrons from an electron-rich well to a hole-rich well. In this study, we investigated the electrical response of a CTDQW under intersubband optical excitation, and found that a positive photocurrent, opposite in sign and proportional to the applied electric field, accompanies the intersubband-transition-induced luminescence (ITIL) signal. A negative photocurrent component was also observed and attributed to heating processes. This work brings a further evidence of the ITIL process and shows that an important proportion of the carriers are consumed by the transfer of electrons.