Localized electronic states in N-layer-based superlattices with structural defects

Using an effect-barrier height method, we study the properties of the localized electronic states in an N-layer-based superlattice with structural defects within the framework of effective-mass theory. The coupling effect between normal and lateral degrees of freedom of an electron on the localized electronic states in both symmetric and asymmetric triple layer superlattices with structural defects has been considered numerically. The results show that the localized states display different behaviors in both symmetric and asymmetric structures in spite of the minibands being not influenced by the structural symmetry. Moreover, the coupling effect causes the minibands, minigaps and localized electron levels to depend on the transverse wave number kxy. A brief physical analysis is given.