Phonon-drag thermopower in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells

Abstract

Thermopower in a semiconductor quantum well with the modified Pöschl–Teller confining potential is calculated, taking into account the drag of electrons by phonons. Based on the obtained theoretical results, the temperature dependence of thermopower in a \(\text{GaAs}/{\text{Al}}_{x}{\text{Ga}}_{1-x}As\) quantum well at low temperatures has been studied. Numerical calculations show that our theoretical results are in good agreement with experimental ones. This indicates that the modified Pöschl–Teller potential describes well the confinement potential in semiconductor quantum wells.

Graphical abstract