Abstract: The effects of interface optical-phonon and confined slab LO-phonon modes on the polaron cyclotron-resonance frequency are investigated for a GaAs/AlAs quantum well. Using degenerate second-order perturbation theory, the polaron Landau levels are calculated and the polaron resonant region is investigated. In order to know the relative importance of the different resonant frequencies we present a full calculation of the magneto-optical absorption spectrum. At a fixed magnetic field we found four different peaks in the absorption spectrum. The relative oscillator strength of the different peaks changes with increasing magnetic field. For comparative purposes, the polaron Landau levels and cyclotron mass are also calculated using only the bulk LO-phonon modes. The influence of the finiteness of the confinement potential is investigated. We found that the interface-phonon modes influence the magnetopolaron resonance considerably near the optical-phonon frequencies for narrow wells. In the limit of zero magnetic field we recover our previous results and in the case of an infinite-barrier quantum well we are able to recover the results for a two- and three-dimensional system.

Abstract: When the energy difference between two electric subbands in a quasi-two-dimensional electron system equals a LO-phonon energy, resonant scattering will occur. This leads to an enhancement of the scattering rate and, consequently, to a suppression of the conductivity. Changing the energy difference between the electric subbands (e.g., through a gate) leads to a series of electrophonon resonances in the conductivity. A detailed study is made of this effect for different confinement potentials. We found that the scattering processes where the emission of a phonon is involved are very important for the electrophonon resonance and that the size of the effect decreases with increasing temperature.

Abstract: A microscopic theory for the coupling of molecular orientations with acoustic lattice displacements is proposed. The relevant interaction is quadratic in the orientational-order-parameter variables and linear in longitudinal strains. The coupling is evaluated for a complex molecular structure. The intermolecular potential is obtained from interaction centers placed at nuclei and at the centers of interatomic bonds. The free energy is derived and the experimental consequences of the theory are studied. The Clausius-Clapeyron equation for orientational melting is obtained. The theory explains the decrease of the lattice constant at the first-order phase transition and the increase of the transition temperature with applied pressure.