Analysis of the scattering of electrons by special vibrational modes in a GaAs quantum well with a thin AlAs middle barrier: Mobility modulated by a transversal electric field

The scattering rates for the intra- and intersubband transitions of electro ns in a GaAs/AlAs quantum well with a central AlAs thin layer assisted by t he emission and absorption of optical phonon modes are calculated in the ca se where a transversal electric field is applied through the structure in o rder to modulate the electronic density inside the well. The role of the co nfined and interface phonon modes in reducing the electron mobility is anal yzed separately to permit the identification of the effect of the transvers al electric field on this mobility. The electron behavior indicates that el ectrons of different subbands can be separated in real space by the applied transversal electric field. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021 -8979(99)03308-3].