Quantum Well Avalanche Multiplication Initiated by 10microns Intersubband Absorption and Photoexcited Tunneling
01 January 1987
We have achieved avalanche gain at a wavelength of 10.3microns in Al sub x Ga sub 1-x As/GaAs quantum well superlattices. The photoelectrons are generated by resonant intersubband absorption and tunneling, and then avalanche via hot electron impact ionization of carriers out of the quantum wells. Good agreement is obtained between a theoretical calculation of this process and our experiments.