Inelastic scattering of hot electrons by neutral donors in heavily silicon-doped GaAs/AlAs quantum wells

The energy and momentum relaxation of hot electrons in n-type GaAs/AlAs qua ntum wells is studied. Hot photoluminescence due to the recombination of ho t electrons with holes bound on Si acceptors is observed in structures with a high level of doping with silicon. Using the method of magnetic depolari zation of hot photoluminescence, the probability of scattering of hot elect rons is found to decrease substantially with increasing temperature in the range 4-80 K. This effect is shown to be due to the ionization of donors. I t is established that the probability of inelastic scattering by neutral do nors is several times greater than the probability of quasielastic electron -electron scattering. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7826(9 9)01910-9].