Single-electron transport in small resonant-tunneling diodes with various barrier-thickness asymmetries

authored by: T. Schmidt, R. Haug, K. Klitzing, A. Förster, H. Lüth
Abstract: We fabricated submicrometer-diameter double-barrier diodes from four wafers with different barrier-thickness asymmetry. All samples exhibit staircaselike features in the current-voltage characteristic at the current threshold due to single-electron tunneling. Our study focuses on the properties of the first current step which arises from tunneling through the energetically lowest discrete electron state within the double-barrier region. The analysis of the bias position of the step allows a spatial spectroscopy of the vertical position of the lowest discrete level in the double-barrier region. The magnitude of the step is in excellent agreement with theory for all barrier-thickness asymmetries whereas the broadening of the step edge exceeds the lifetime-related width of the discrete state by one order of magnitude.
External Organisation(s): Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research (MPI-FKF)
Forschungszentrum Jülich
Type: Article
Journal: Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume: 55
Pages: 2230-2236
No. of pages: 7
ISSN: 1098-0121
Publication date: 01.01.1997
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Condensed Matter Physics
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.55.2230 (Access: Unknown)