Real-space transfer and hot-electron transport properties in III-V semiconductor heterostructures

Real-space transfer (RST) of hot electrons in heterostructures was studied using Monte Carlo simulations. Hot-electron distributions in real space were determined self-consistently by taking into account the space-charge field across the heterointerface. Using the analysis of hot-electron distributions in heterostructures, high-field transport properties are discussed from the viewpoint of heterostructure engineering. The simulations indicate that the effects of real-space transfer are strongly dependent on the energy band structure, doping density, and heterostructure parameters. It is also shown that InGaAs/InP is superior to GaAs/AlGaAs in terms of obtaining high velocity because RST reduces hot-electron distributions in the L and X valleys of InGaAs and increases the electron population in the Γ valley of InP. This is due to the suitable valley line-up in the InGaAs/InP heterostructure