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Lingering times at resonance: The case of Sb-based tunneling devices

E.D. Guarin Castro1,*, A. Pfenning2, F. Hartmann2, A. Naranjo1, G. Knebl2, M.D. Teodoro1, G.E. Marques1, S. Höfling2, G. Bastard3 et al.

V. Lopez-Richard1

  • *Contact author: ed.guarin.castro@gmail.com
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Phys. Rev. Applied 23, 014051 – Published 23 January, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.23.014051

Abstract

Concurrent natural time scales related to relaxation, recombination, trapping, and drifting processes rule the semiconductor heterostructures’ response to external drives when charge carrier fluxes are induced. This paper highlights the role of stoichiometry not only for the quantitative tuning of the electron-hole dynamics, but also for significant qualitative contrasts of time-resolved optical responses during the operation of resonant tunneling devices. Therefore, similar device architectures and different compositions have been compared to elucidate the correlation among structural parameters, radiative recombination processes, and electron-hole pair and minority-carrier relaxation mechanisms. When these ingredients intermix with the electronic structure in Sb-based tunneling devices, it is proven possible to assess various time scales according to the intensity of the current flux, contrary to what has been observed in As-based tunneling devices with similar design and transport characteristics. These time scales are strongly affected by the filling process in the Γ and L states in Sb-based double-barrier quantum wells and by the small separation between these states, compared to similar heterostructures based on As.

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Phys. Rev. Applied 23, 014051– Published 23 January, 2025
  • Received 2 November 2024
  • Accepted 6 January 2025
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