Resonant Zener tunneling of electrons between valence-band and conduction-band quantum wells

Abstract

We report the observation of resonant tunneling effects at high applied fields in the reverse‐bias current‐voltage characteristic of multiple quantum well p‐i‐n diodes. The Al_0.48In_0.52As/Ga_0.47In_0.53As structure (grown by molecular beam epitaxy with 35 periods of 139 Å barriers and 139 Å wells) shows two steps in the dark current. These are associated with Zener tunneling of electrons across the band gap from the lowest subband in the valence‐band quantum wells to the first and second subbands of adjacent conduction‐band wells.