Appl. Phys. Lett. 65 (14), 1808-1810 (1994)

Multistability of the current-voltage characteristics in doped GaAs-AlAs superlattices

J. Kastrup, H. T. Grahn, and K. Ploog

Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik,
Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, D-10117 Berlin, Germany

F. Prengel, A. Wacker, and E. Schöll

Institut für Theoretische Physik, Technische Universität Berlin
Hardenbergstrasse 36, D-10623 Berlin, Germany

Abstract

Electric-field domain formation in doped semiconductor superlattices leads to sharp discontinuities in the current-voltage (I-V) characteristic. The successive expansion of the high-field region with increasing bias voltage through the periodic heterostructure manifests itself in a regular sequence of stable current branches. The current shows a complex hysteretic behavior. We observe two, three, and more stable current levels for fixed bias voltages. Calculations of the I-V characteristic based on a microscopic model support the experimentally observed multistability.

PACS:72.20.Ht, 73.40.Kp, 73.20.Dx

last update: Jan 11, 1995