Electron interactions in the two-dimensional electron-gas base of a vertical hot-electron transistor

P. Matthews; M. J. Kelly; V. J. Law; D. G. Hasko; M. Pepper; W. M. Stobbs; H. Ahmed; D. C. Peacock; J. E. F. Frost; D. A. Ritchie; G. A. C. Jones

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.42.11415

Rapid Communication

Electron interactions in the two-dimensional electron-gas base of a vertical hot-electron transistor

P. Matthews, M. J. Kelly, V. J. Law, D. G. Hasko, M. Pepper, W. M. Stobbs, H. Ahmed, D. C. Peacock, J. E. F. Frost, D. A. Ritchie, and G. A. C. Jones

Phys. Rev. B 42, 11415(R) – Published 15 December 1990

Abstract

We present results on the interaction of hot and cold electrons in a large-area two-dimensional electron-gas-base hot-electron transistor. Four-terminal magnetoresistance measurements of the cold electrons in the two-dimensional electron-gas (2DEG) base, as a function of forward-emitter bias, $V_{EB}$ , show significant deviations from the zero-bias condition. We identify two distinct regimes: (i) an enhanced interface scattering as the 2DEG is forced against the collector-barrier heterojunction for low biases before emitter-current injection and (ii) an electron-heating effect in the 2DEG once current injection occurs. We invoke a simple heat-exchange argument to analyze the relaxation of the injected hot carriers.