QUANTUM EFFECTS IN THE ELECTRONIC CONDUCTIVITY OF LATERAL SUPERLATTICES

We report a Boltzmann analysis of transport measurements performed on quasi two-dimensional (2D) electron gases with strong in-plane periodi c modulation at a short length scale. The quantum scattering anisotrop y induced by the periodic potential is included in the calculation and is shown to play an important role in the low-temperature electrical anisotropy. Furthermore, under these conditions the conductivity along the unperturbed direction is no longer given by the Drude formula but is enhanced because of a strong inhibition of the relaxation rate. (C ) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.