RELAXATION RATES OF ELECTRONS IN A QUANTUM-WELL EMBEDDED IN A FINITE-SIZE SEMICONDUCTOR SLAB

We calculated the momentum and energy relaxation rates of 2D electrons interacting with acoustic phonons in a quantum well situated close to the surface of a semiconductor slab in which the quantum well is embe dded. These rates depend on the mechanical conditions at the surface o f the slab and deviate substantially from the values corresponding to a quantum well situated in the bulk of an infinite crystal. At low eno ugh temperatures the quantization of the acoustic modes becomes import ant and has an effect on the relaxation rates.