Transport and heating of electrons in semiconductors with a one-dimensional superlattice

On the basis of the Boltzmann equation with a new model collision integral that takes into account the redistribution of energy and momentum of all de grees of freedom of the electron, we have constructed and investigated a th ree-dimensional model of electron transport in one-dimensional semiconducto r superlattices (SL's). The current-voltage curves (CVC), mean energies, an d effective temperatures of the electrons have been found for vertical and longitudinal transport. In contrast to one-dimensional models, the approach developed here allows one to take into account and describe not only longi tudinal electron heating, but also electron heating transverse to the curre nt. For vertical transport, transverse heating substantially alters the pos ition, magnitude, and width of the current maximum. For longitudinal transp ort, electron heating that is non-quadratic in the field arises along the s uperlattice axis even in the approximation of a linear current-voltage char acteristic. The possibility of describing electron transport in a superlatt ice using a mixed Fermi distribution with an isotropic temperature is analy zed. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063- 7834(99)03509-1].