Electric field influence on mid-infrared absorption and interband photoluminescence in tunnel-coupled GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells

Abstract

The influence of transverse and lateral electric field on the mid-infrared intersubband light absorption is experimentally investigated in tunnel-coupled GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells. Observed absorption modulation in electric field is related to the electron redistribution between the quantum well states resulting in variation of space charge in the structure. This phenomenon in transverse electric field is connected with a change of potential profile, whereas in lateral field effect is caused by electron heating. Electron heating also leads to a modulation of near-infrared interband photoluminescence under lateral electric field.