Abstract
We report on calculations of scattering times for electrons in single or multiple quantum wells subjected to a longitudinal electric field. Static scatterers (Coulombic impurities and interface defects) as well as acoustical or optical phonons are considered. Intrasubband and intersubband contributions in single quantum wells as well as the intrawell and interwell ones in multiple quantum wells are analyzed and compared. We find that it is usually an excellent approximation to assume that intrasubband and/or intrawell relaxations are faster than intersubband and interwell ones. The variations of the relaxation times upon the strength of an electric field applied along the growth axis make evident the part played by the polarization of the carrier wave function.
- Received 22 February 1989
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.40.1074
©1989 American Physical Society