Measurements of non-Gaussian noise in quantum wells

A. Ben Simon, Y. Paltiel, G. Jung, V. Berger, and H. Schneider
Phys. Rev. B 76, 235308 – Published 11 December 2007

Abstract

Gaussian generation-recombination is accepted to be a dominant mechanism of current noise source in quantum well systems biased by electric field normal to the layers. We have found pronouncedly non-Gaussian excess current noise in n-type and p-type multiple quantum wells. The non-Gaussian noise has been attributed to metastable spatial configurations of electric field. The metastability likely originates from negative differential conductance caused by intervalley scattering in n-type wells and heavy and light holes tunneling in p-type wells. At a constant bias, the quantum well system randomly switches between a high resistivity state with low current flow and low resistive state with high current flow. The non-Gaussianity of the noise is more pronounced in p-type wells where the time traces of current fluctuations resemble closely a two-level random telegraph signal, which has not been straightforwardly observed in n-type wells. The non-Gaussian character of the noise in n-type systems has been revealed by measurements of nonzero skewness of the amplitude distributions. The difference between noise properties of n- and p-type systems has been attributed to small capture probability of electrons in n-type wells, as opposed to very high capture probability of holes in p-type wells. As a consequence, the noise of any p-type multiwell system is dominated by fluctuations of a single well, while in the n-type the noise appears as a superposition of many fluctuators associated with individual wells.

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  • Received 30 May 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.76.235308

©2007 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

A. Ben Simon1,2, Y. Paltiel1, G. Jung2, V. Berger3, and H. Schneider4

  • 1Solid State Physics Group, Electro-Optics Division, Soreq NRC, Yavne 81800, Israel
  • 2Department of Physics, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
  • 3Matériaux et Phénomènes Quantiques, Université Paris 7, Case 7021, 2 Place Jussieu, 75251 Paris, France
  • 4Institute of Ion-Beam Physics and Materials Research, Forschungszentrum Dresden Rossendorf, P.O. Box 510119, D-01314 Dresden, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 76, Iss. 23 — 15 December 2007

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