TERAHERTZ EMISSION FROM SQUARE WELLS IN A LONGITUDINAL ELECTRIC-FIELD

Terahertz emission accompanying heating of two-dimensional electrons b y a strong electric field applied along size-quantized GaAs/AlGaAs lay ers is observed and investigated. The emission is due to indirect opti cal transitions of hot electrons in the bottom size-quantization band. The experimentally obtained emission spectra are compared with the sp ectra calculated taking into account scattering of electrons by optica l phonons, impurities, and interfacial roughness and electron-electron scattering. Satisfactory agreement is obtained. The temperature of th e hot electrons is determined from a comparison of the spectra. (C) 19 98 American Institute of Physics.