Persistent photoconductivity in quantum well resonators

Abstract

We have made the first observation of persistent photoconductivity in resonant tunneling structures. The spectral dependence suggests that it arises from Si DX centers in the AlGaAs barriers, and calculations based on a simple model using this assumption agree well with the observations. This effect has been useful in investigating the charge distribution and electric fields near the heterojunction interface and in determining the barrier parameters. The model should help in the design and fabrication of optimized resonant tunneling devices.