Resistive switching effect in the n-InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures with double tunnel-coupled quantum wells

TL;DR

This study investigates resistive switching in n-InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures with double quantum wells, revealing metastable conductance states induced by electric field pulses at low temperatures, explained by changes in electron energy states.

Contribution

It demonstrates a novel resistive switching effect in heterostructures with double quantum wells caused by electric field pulses, highlighting the role of structure asymmetry.

Findings

Metastable high-conductance states observed at 4 K after electric pulses.

Effect specific to asymmetric quantum well structures with impurity layers.

Model explains the effect via changes in electron energy states spectrum.

Abstract

The electric conductivity behavior in the single and double tunnel-coupled quantum wells (QW) with different doping profile caused by impact of short pulses of the strong longitudinal (in the quantum wells plane) electric field has been investigated. It is established that at low temperatures (4 K) after such impact the long-term metastable state with increased electric conductance may be observed in the case of the asymmetric QW couple with the impurity delta shaped layer in the narrower QW. It is not observed in the structures with other configurations. The observed effect is explained by the model accounting for metastable changes in the electron energy states spectrum in the studied structures caused by the strong electric field pulses.