Multiple-frequency current oscillations in GaAs-AlGaAs quantum wells containing a thin semi-insulating layer

We have investigated non-equilibrium electron transport properties of a quantum well with an inserted thin semi-insulating potential barrier layer in nonlinear bias using a time-dependent simulation technique. We find that the charge redistribution with time in the whole structure has an important effect on the final current-voltage (I-V) curves. The results show that there are two evident current hysteresis phenomena in the negative differential conductance regions and the inserted semi-insulating potential barrier layer induces the formation of multiple emitter quantum wells, which leads to high-frequency terahertz current oscillations with multiple-frequency relations around the valley of current. Copyright EDP Sciences/Società Italiana di Fisica/Springer-Verlag 2005