Influence of strain effects on hole-subband resonances in GaAs/InAlAs superlattices

We have investigated the influence of strain effects on hole-subband resona nces in GaAs/InAlAs strained superlattices. The samples consist of the same superlattice structure with different buffer layers. We have found that th e photocurrent-voltage characteristics exhibit peaky structures due to the hole-subband resonance and that the resonant conditions are modified by the difference in the lattice constant of the buffer layers. The resonant cond itions have been discussed from the subband-energy calculation based on an effective-mass approximation taking into account the strain effects. (C) 19 99 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.