Resonant spectroscopy of electric-field-induced superlattices

A system of interdigital gates is used to create a periodic potential profi le in a multilayer heterostructure. The electrostatic problem for the spati al distribution of the potential is solved and experimentally examined by m easurements of current-voltage characteristics of resonant-tunnelling diode s embedded in the depletion region of the Schottky contact. It is shown tha t the position of the resonant peak voltage is sensitive to the spatial pot ential distribution and that with appropriate parameters of the heterostruc ture the sensitivity of the gates can be considerably enhanced. (C) 2001 Am erican Institute of Physics.