Wannier-stark states in nanostructures

Abstract

We study the effects of a longitudinal-external-electric field on the electronic properties of an open-quantum-dot superlattice. These structures present the formation of two different gaps, one associated with the periodicity of the structure imposed upon the ID mode and the other associated to the destructive interference between the ID mode and the quantum-dot states. The transmission coefficients between two quasi-two dimensional reservoirs through these structures are calculated. The electric field presents different regimes: at weak fields the transmission peaks associated to the tunneling through the confined dot states show an energy shift and a progressive decline of the transmission. At moderate fields the transmission bands become sharp and the transmission peaks to one. As the electric field increases the anti-resonance gaps widen. Finally, at large electric fields, the Wannier-Stark levels are completely formed and the transmission is characterized by a series of relatively equally spaced peaks.