Vv. Bryksin et P. Kleinert, MICROSCOPIC THEORY OF HIGH-FIELD MINIBAND TRANSPORT IN SEMICONDUCTOR SUPERLATTICES, Journal of physics. Condensed matter, 9(35), 1997, pp. 7403-7418
A quantum theory of high-field miniband transport in semiconductor sup
erlattices is developed that is applicable in the electric field range
where negative differential conductance appears. The lateral electron
distribution function is determined from a quantum kinetic equation,
in which intracollisional held effects are included. Scattering on pol
ar optical phonons is taken into account. Unlike the Boltzmann equatio
n approach, our theory reproduces the experimentally detected temperat
ure dependence of the current in both the hopping and band transport r
egimes. Numerical and analytical results show that at low temperatures
the lateral electron distribution function strongly deviates from its
equilibrium expression and exhibits sharp edges. For a superlattice w
ith a narrow miniband the existence of electro-phonon resonance effect
s is predicted. The associated resonant-type current anomalies depend
strongly on temperature and are most pronounced at low temperatures.