Evaluation of phase coherent length at high temperature up to 180 K using triple-barrier resonant tunneling diodes

Towards estimation of phase coherent length of electrons around room temperature, GalnAs/InP triple-barrier resonant tunneling diodes (TBRTDs) were designed and fabricated by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy with atomically flat heterointerfaces. Phase coherent length at high temperature up to 180 K was evaluated from current-voltage characteristics. As increasing the temperature, the L_c decreases to 110 nm at 180 K with a power low of L_c ∝ T ^-0.25. It is shown that a well-designed TBRTD is useful to investigate a phase breaking mechanism in terms of temperature dependence of phase coherent length.