The eigenstates and tunnelling time in an interdiffused AlGaAs/GaAs quantum well by the transfer matrix method

• Published in: Superlattices and microstructures 1995-01, Vol.17 (2), p.177-186
• Main Authors: Yang, Zuoya, Weiss, Bernard L., Li, E.Herbert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electron states and collective excitations in multilayers, quantum wells, mesoscopic, and nanoscale systems; Electron states and collective excitations in thin films, multilayers, quantum wells, mesoscopic and nanoscale systems; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport in interface structures; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Tunneling
• ISSN: 0749-6036; 1096-3677
• DOI: 10.1006/spmi.1995.1034

A matrix method has been used for the determination of the confined eigenstates and their corresponding tunnelling times in an interdiffused AlGaAs/GaAs single quantum well structure. The nonlinear confinement potential profile of the disordered quantum well is due to the interdiffusion of the constituent Al and Ga atoms and is modeled here by an error function. The results indicate that the interdiffusion, as well as the applied electric field, affect the tunnelling times and the energy linewidths of the corresponding states. The results are compared with those for an AlGaAs/GaAs as-grown single square quantum well without any interdiffusion.