Magnetic-field-induced modulation of intersubband scattering in a double-barrier resonant-tunneling structure

Marked magneto-oscillations in the intensity of the electroluminescence (EL) arising from the recombination of electrons in the second quasiconfined state of the quantum well of a p-i-n double-barrier resonant-tunneling structure are reported. The oscillations are shown to arise from modulation of the intersubband scattering rate from the E2 excited subband to the E1 ground subband. An analysis of the fundamental field shows that the intersubband scattering proceeds with the assistance of a near-zone-center longitudinal-optical phonon. The absence of the oscillations in the E1 EL intensity is shown to be consistent with the sequential nature of the tunneling process.