Hot-electron energy relaxation in GaAs/GaAlAs two-dimensional structures: importance of two-phonon processes
The energy relaxation of hot electrons has been studied in GaAs/GaAlAs two-dimensional structures with emphasis on the role of two-phonon processes for the first time. An expression for the power loss due to electron-two-zone edge transverse acoustic (TA) phonon interaction is derived using the effective carrier-two-phonon interaction Hamiltonian. Numerical calculations for the power loss are presented over a wide electron temperature range by incorporating the electron-two-zone edge TA phonon interaction besides the usual one-phonon scattering. The hot phonon effect for the polar optical phonon scattering has also been included. The very good agreement between the calculations and the experimental data in the GaAs/GaAlAs systems demonstrates the importance of electron-two-phonon scattering processes in power loss from hot electrons.