Editing Superlattice (section)

== Semiconductor properties ==

If the superlattice is made of two semiconductor materials with different [[band gap]]s, each [[quantum well]] sets up new [[selection rule]]s that affect the conditions for charges to flow through the structure. The two different semiconductor materials are deposited alternately on each other to form a periodic structure in the growth direction. Since the 1970 proposal of synthetic superlattices by [[Leo Esaki|Esaki]] and [[Raphael Tsu|Tsu]],<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Esaki | first1 = L. | last2 = Tsu | first2 = R. | doi = 10.1147/rd.141.0061 | title = Superlattice and Negative Differential Conductivity in Semiconductors | journal = IBM Journal of Research and Development | volume = 14 | pages = 61–65 | year = 1970 }}</ref> advances in the physics of such ultra-fine semiconductors, presently called quantum structures, have been made. The concept of [[quantum confinement]] has led to the observation of quantum size effects in isolated quantum well heterostructures and is closely related to superlattices through the tunneling phenomena. Therefore, these two ideas are often discussed on the same physical basis, but each has different physics useful for applications in electric and optical devices.