Current-induced spatial patterns of photoluminescence in AlxGa1-xAs/GaAs heterojunctions at quantizing magnetic fields

A strong spontaneous spatial modulation of the photoluminescence near the AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction has been found, if an external current and a quantizing magnetic field were applied to a homogeneously illuminated sample. A pattern of quenched and enhanced photoluminescence has been observed whose form varies synchronously with Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations. A phenomenological model of the effect is presented