Regular and periodic peaks in device current, capacitance, and intersubband photocurrent from a multiple double-well structure

Special electronic transport properties in superlattices (SLs) and quantum wells (QWs) give rise to both new physical phenomena and useful devices. Studies of carrier transport in superlattice and multiple quantum well (MQW) structures therefore have practical implications. There are different regimes for SL and MQW carrier transport. In this paper, we report on our experimental study of current-voltage (I-V), capacitance-voltage (C-V), and intersubband photocurrent vs. voltage (Ip-V) characteristics in a MQW structure having a coupled double-well period. Extremely regular periodic peaks in I-V, C-V, and Ip-V are observed in the coupled double well MQW. Hysteresis is displayed in all the measurements with respect to the voltage scan direction. A phenomenological model is used to explain the observed results.