New Transport Phenomenon in a Semiconductor "Superlattice"

We report electronic transport properties in a GaAs-AlAs periodic structure known as a "superlattice" prepared by a molecular-beam epitaxy. Its differential conductance in the superlattice direction first gradually decreases, followed by a rapid drop to negative values, then, at high fields, exhibits an oscillatory behavior with respect to applied voltages. This observation is interpreted in terms of the formation and expansion of a high-field domain. The voltage period of the oscillation provides the energy of the first-excited band which is in good agreement with that predicted by the theory.