The effect on currents of anticrossings in the energy spectrum in quantum wells under crossed electric and magnetic fields

A finite quantum well, subjected to both electric and magnetic fields that are applied perpendicularly and parallel to the interfaces, respectively, is considered theoretically. Within an effective-mass approximation the energy eigenstates and associated currents are calculated numerically and analysed for a wide range of applied fields. The obtained single-particle energy spectra show the anticrossing and repulsion of the levels. The salient feature of the resulting lateral currents is an abrupt change in the magnitude as a function of the applied fields. This anomalous behaviour of the currents is seen to occur at the field strengths at which the anticrossings take place in the energy spectra.