Self-consistent hopping transport in superlattices: non-equilibrium distribution functions and electron heating

The hopping transport model (Phys. Rev. B 12 (1975) 680) for vertical trans port in superlattices has been extended towards a self-consistent calculati on of the Wannier-Stark state distribution functions for plane-parallel ele ctron motion. This way, the influence of field-induced electron heating cou ld be investigated in the negative differential conductivity regime of none quilibrium hopping transport. Variations of the mean electron temperature a re observed near the optical phonon resonance which occurs if the Wannier-S tark ladder spacing is equal to the LO phonon energy. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.