Features of Tunneling Current in Superlattices with Electrical Domains

Abstract—The tunneling electron transport in GaAs/AlAs and InAs/AlSb superlattices with electric domains at room temperature is studied. At voltages above the threshold for the formation of domains, a series of maxima on the current–voltage characteristics, almost equidistant in voltage, and current hysteresis during direct and reverse voltage sweeps were found. An explanation is proposed relating the origin of these maxima to tunnel transitions between quantum wells in a triangular domain, assisted by the emission of optical phonons, and hysteresis with a transition between modes with a moving and static domain. The large asymmetry of the transition times between domain modes was found.