Field-asymmetric transverse magnetoresistance in a nonmagnetic quantum-size structure

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of an asymmetric transverse magnetoresistance in a nonmagnetic quantum structure with built-in electric fields, revealing a novel nonequilibrium transport phenomenon.

Contribution

It introduces a new experimental observation and a theoretical model explaining asymmetric magnetoresistance in asymmetric quantum-size structures.

Findings

Asymmetric magnetoresistance observed in experiments

The effect depends on the built-in lateral electric field

A theoretical model explains the asymmetry as a nonequilibrium current contribution

Abstract

A new phenomenon is observed experimentally in a heavily doped asymmetric quantum-size structure in a magnetic field parallel to the quantum-well layers - a transverse magnetoresistance which is asymmetric in the field (there can even be a change in sign) and is observed in the case that the structure has a built-in lateral electric field. A model of the effect is proposed. The observed asymmetry of the magnetoresistance is attributed to an additional current contribution that arises under nonequilibrium conditions and that is linear in the gradient of the electrochemical potential and proportional to the parameter characterizing the asymmetry of the spectrum with respect to the quasimomentum.