Scanning tunneling microscopy and potentiometry on a semiconductor heterojunction

Abstract

The potential distribution across the cleaved end face of a forward‐biased GaAs double heterojunction laser diode was mapped using scanning tunneling potentiometry. Space‐charge regions next to the heterojunction interface as well as the electron‐hole recombination region within the active layer are outlined with nanometer resolution. The carrier injection zone in the active layer is observed as a function of junction voltage.