Photogalvanic current in a double quantum well
M. V. Entin+, L. I. Magarill+*
+Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics SB of the RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
* Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
Abstract
A double quantum well affected by external alternating electric field with in- and out-of-plane components is studied. This field causes transitions between near-degenerate states located in different wells. The phototransitions are accompanied by the in-plane momentum non-conservation caused by the impurity scattering. We study the in-plane stationary current due to the lack of the in-plane symmetry of these indirect phototransitions. It is shown that the value and direction of the current are determined by the polarization of light. The
linear and circular photogalvanic coefficients are found. When the photon
energy approaches the distance between subbands these coefficients have their
symmetric and antisymmetric resonance behavior, correspondingly.