Observation of an abrupt double-to-single-layer transition in a double-quantum-well structure

• Published in: Surface science Vol. 305; no. 1; pp. 405 - 407
• Main Authors: Katayama, Y., Tsui, D.C., Manoharan, H.C., Shayegan, M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 20.03.1994; Amsterdam Elsevier Science; New York, NY
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electrical properties of specific thin films; 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; Iii-v semiconductor-to-semiconductor contacts, p-n junctions, and heterojunctions; Iii-v semiconductors; Physics; Aluminium arsenides; Two-dimensional systems; Gallium arsenides; Inorganic compounds; Semiconductor materials; Quantum wells; Binary compounds; Experimental study; Total electron energy; Coulomb field; Magnetoresistance; Shubnikov-de Haas effect; Exchange interactions; Electron gas
• ISSN: 0039-6028; 1879-2758
• DOI: 10.1016/0039-6028(94)90926-1

We report the first observation of an abrupt double-to-single-layer transition in a GaAs/AlAs double-quantum-well (DQW) structure. The transition is observed as a sharp decrease in the 4-terminal resistance measured as a function of the bias applied to the front gate of the device. Data on the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations taken at different gate voltages reveal that this abrupt change in resistance is associated with the transition from a double- to a single-layer two-dimensional electron system in the DQW.