Electric field induced parallel conduction in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures

• Published in: Journal of applied physics Vol. 69; no. 1; pp. 302 - 306
• Main Authors: HENDRIKS, P, ZWAAL, E. A. E, DUBOIS, J. G. A, BLOM, F. A. P, WOLTER, J. H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Woodbury, NY American Institute of Physics 1991
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport in interface structures; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Temperature; Electrical conductivity; Ohmic contact; Semiconductor materials; Voltage current curve; Aluminium Gallium Arsenides Mixed; Theoretical study; Two dimensional model; Experimental study; Time variation; Inorganic compound; Gallium Arsenides; Charge carrier trapping; Electric field; Magnetoconductivity; High field; Electron gas; Heterojunction
• ISSN: 0021-8979; 1089-7550
• DOI: 10.1063/1.347713

A new mechanism to understand time-dependent features in the conduction of a two-dimensional electron gas (2 DEG) in high electric fields is proposed and discussed. The mechanism is based on the idea that not only the properties of the GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure have to be included, but also the properties of the transition from the ohmic contact to the heterostructure. We show that the ohmic contact to the heterostructure is fundamentally different from the contact to a bulk semiconductor. In low electric fields electrons cannot move from the contact into the AlGaAs since the conduction band normally lies above the Fermi level. However, when high enough electric fields are applied, the barrier between the contact and AlGaAs is pulled down, allowing conduction in both the AlGaAs and the 2 DEG. We propose a model, in which time-dependent phenomena in the conduction of the 2 DEG can be associated with trapping and detrapping of charge carriers in the AlGaAs. Time-resolved experiments are shown which confirm this hypothesis.