Discover
/
Article

Man‐made square wells offer insight and applications

AUG 01, 1975
H. Richard Leuchtag

Thanks to teams at two laboratories, that textbook abstraction of quantum mechanics, the one‐dimensional square well, has become realized in a physical object. Known as a “heterostructure,” this object consists of accurately deposited thin layers of two different semiconductors of matching lattice constants. When these man‐made square wells are built up into stacks of 10–100 periods, they constitute essentially an infinite configuration (because of the finite mean free path of the carriers) known as a “superlattice” (PHYSICS TODAY, August 1973, page 20). These structures open the possibility of creating quantum states with predetermined energy levels and bandwidths.

This article is only available in PDF format

Related content
/
Article
In the closest thing yet obtained to a movie of a breaking chemical bond, there’s a surprise ending.
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1975_08.jpeg

Volume 28, Number 8

Get PT in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.