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Electron-avalanche amplifier based on the electronic Venturi effect

D. Taubert, G. J. Schinner, H. P. Tranitz, W. Wegscheider, C. Tomaras, S. Kehrein, and S. Ludwig
Phys. Rev. B 82, 161416(R) – Published 21 October 2010

Abstract

Scattering of otherwise ballistic electrons far from equilibrium is investigated in a cold two-dimensional electron system. The interaction between excited electrons and the degenerate Fermi liquid induces a positive charge in a nanoscale region which would be negatively charged for diffusive transport at local thermal equilibrium. In a three-terminal device we observe avalanche amplification of electrical current, resulting in a situation comparable to the Venturi effect in hydrodynamics. Numerical calculations using a random-phase approximation are in agreement with our data and suggest Coulomb interaction as the dominant scattering mechanism.

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  • Received 5 October 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.82.161416

©2010 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

D. Taubert1, G. J. Schinner1, H. P. Tranitz2, W. Wegscheider3, C. Tomaras1, S. Kehrein1, and S. Ludwig1

  • 1Center for NanoScience and Fakultät für Physik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, 80539 München, Germany
  • 2Institut für Experimentelle Physik, Universität Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
  • 3Solid State Physics Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland

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Issue

Vol. 82, Iss. 16 — 15 October 2010

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