NONDISSIPATIVE TUNNELING BETWEEN LOW-DIMENSIONAL ELECTRON-STATES IN AMAGNETIC-FIELD

We calculate the tunnelling current between spatially separated low-di mensional electron layers in conditions where the magnetic field is ap plied perpendicular to the tunnelling direction. Due to the magnetic-f ield-induced intersection of the parabolic electron spectrum branches, the current is independent of the scattering mechanism over a wide re gion of magnetic held, applied voltage, and level splitting, i.e. the non-dissipative tunnelling regime is realized. We derive expressions f or the tunnelling rate and tunnel current in coupled quantum wells and wires, and compare these results with the existing experimental data concerning the photoexcited electron relaxation in double quantum well s, and tunnelling between the two-dimensional and quasi-one-dimensiona l layers with independent contacts to each layer. Good agreement betwe en the theory and the experiments indicates realization of the non-dis sipative tunnelling regime in all of the cases considered.