Role of staircase potential in the energy spectrum of a periodic system

An exhaustive study on the energy spectrum and the wave functions of semiconductor superlattices (SLs) in the presence of saw-tooth potential, step potential and the combined potential has been carried out. The study uses a realistic model for the SL based on the periodic crystal potential of the host crystals. The application of the staircase potential results in the formation of discrete Wannier–Stark ladder (WSL) which is experimentally exploited to achieve quantum cascade laser. The conditions for the WSL in SL has been pointed out. For the purpose of comparison, the effect of these potentials on the energy spectrum and the wave functions has also been reported for a single crystal.