Single-valley high-mobility (110) AlAs quantum wells with anisotropic mass

We studied a doping series of (110)-oriented AlAs quantum wells (QWs) and observed transport evidence of single anisotropic-mass valley occupancy for the electrons in a 150 Å wide QW. Our calculations of strain and quantum confinement for these samples predict single anisotropic-mass valley occupancy for well widths W greater than 53 Å. Below this, double-valley occupation is predicted such that the longitudinal mass axes are collinear. We observed mobility anisotropy in the electronic transport along the crystallographic directions in the ratio of 2.8, attributed to the mass anisotropy as well as anisotropic scattering of the electrons in the X -valley of AlAs. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.