HIGH-FIELD MINIBAND TRANSPORT IN SEMICONDUCTOR SUPERLATTICES UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A TRANSVERSE MAGNETIC-FIELD

The miniband transport in semiconductor superlattices under the influe nce of high electric and magnetic fields aligned parallel to the super lattice axis is treated within a rigorous quantum-mechanical approach, Intra-collisional field effects due to the electric and magnetic held are taken into account. Pronounced resonances are predicted to occur in the current density due to Landau and Wannier-Stark quantization of the electronic states and due to their scattering on polar-optical ph onons. The combined electric and magnetic field effects are treated by a non-equilibrium lateral electron distribution function, which is th e solution of a quantum-kinetic equation. The field-dependent coupling between longitudinal and transverse degrees of freedom via the latera l distribution function leads to a non-separable dependence of the cur rent on the electric and magnetic fields. Wannier-Stark current oscill ations are strongly enhanced by high magnetic fields. The experimental ly detected crossover in the temperature dependence of the current is reproduced, Finally, the influence of an electric field on magneto-pho non resonances is studied, (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r eserved.