Observation of "hot" electrons with the aid of microcontacts
Krylov I.P., Sharvin Yu.V.
Overheating of the electron gas relative to the crystal lattice was observed experimentally upon injection of carriers into bismuth through microcontacts. The electron temperature was determined by measuring the amplitude of the quantum oscillations of the microcontact resistance. The experimental results agree with a calculation carried out with the aid of the heat-balance condition for electrons that absorb the electric-field energy in the sample and release this energy to the lattice via phonon emission.