https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2003-00058-x
Density matrix theory of population inversion in biased semiconductor superlattices
1
Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik,
Hausvogteiplatz 5–7, 10117 Berlin, Germany
2
Physical Technical Institute,
Politekhnicheskaya 26, 194021 St. Petersburg, Russia
Corresponding author: a kl@pdi-berlin.de
Received:
25
October
2002
Revised:
27
November
2002
Published online:
6
March
2003
The field-induced carrier redistribution between the subbands of a semiconductor superlattice is treated using the density matrix approach. The unit cell of the superlattice consists of one quantum well with three occupied subbands. Carrier scattering on polar-optical phonons is described within the microscopic bulk phonon model. At the tunneling resonance, an intrinsic population inversion is observed. The temperature dependence of the population inversion is determined.
PACS: 73.40.Gk – Tunneling / 73.50.Fq – High-field and nonlinear effects
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2003
