Nonlinear transport and oscillating magnetoresistance in double quantum wells

Abstract

We study the evolution of low-temperature magnetoresistance in double quantum wells in the region below 1 Tesla as the applied current density increases. A flip of the magneto-intersubband oscillation peaks, which occurs as a result of the current-induced inversion of the quantum component of resistivity, is observed. We also see splitting of these peaks as another manifestation of nonlinear behavior, specific for the two-subband electron systems. The experimental results are quantitatively explained by the theory based on the kinetic equation for the isotropic non-equilibrium part of electron distribution function. The inelastic scattering time is determined from the dependence of the inversion magnetic field on the current.

20 pages, 10 figures