On the role of electron-phonon interaction in the resistance anisotropy of two-dimensional electrons in GaAs heterostructures

Abstract

A contribution of the electron-phonon interaction into the energy of a unidirectional charge ordered state (stripe phase) of two-dimensional electrons in GaAs heterostructures is analyzed. The dependence of the energy on the direction of the electron density modulation is calculated. It is shown that in electrons layers situated close to the (001) surface the interference between the piezoelectric and the deformation potential interaction causes a preferential orientation of the stripes along the [110] axis.Comment: 9 pages, accepted for publication in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte