Transverse negative magnetoresistance of 2D structures in the presence of strong in-plane magnetic field: weak localization as a probe of interface roughness

TL;DR

This study investigates how strong in-plane magnetic fields affect transverse negative magnetoresistance in 2D quantum well structures, using weak localization as a tool to probe interface roughness and its correlation lengths.

Contribution

It demonstrates that in-plane magnetic field effects are governed by interface roughness and provides a method to estimate roughness parameters from magnetoresistance data.

Findings

Interface roughness influences magnetoresistance behavior.

Estimated roughness parameters agree with atomic force microscopy.

Analysis links magnetic effects to roughness correlation lengths.

Abstract

The interference induced transverse negative magnetoresistance of GaAs/InGaAs/GaAs quantum well heterostructures has been studied in the presence of strong in-plane magnetic field. It is shown that effect of in-plane magnetic field is determined by the interface roughness and strongly depends on the relationship between mean free path, phase breaking length and roughness correlation length. Analysis of the experimental results allows us to estimate parameters of short- and long-range correlated roughness which have been found in a good agreement with atomic force microscopy data obtained for just the same samples.