Ballistic transport through GaAs-AlGaAs superlattices in transverse magnetic fields

In this work, ballistic electron transport through the lowest miniband of a biased GaAs-AlGaAs superlattice is investigated in transverse magnetic fields. As method we employ a solid-state version of ballistic electron emission microscopy/spectroscopy using a metal-insulator-metal injector structure that replaces the tip of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The ballistic electron current measured as a function of the collector bias shows a peak at flatband conditions indicating coherent transport through the superlattice miniband. With increasing transverse magnetic fields, this peak is quenched and evidence of sequential LO-phonon scattering inside the superlattice is found. Using an extended transfer matrix method, the observed effects are quantitatively explained; differences to previous STM based measurements are discussed. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.