Probing the potential landscape inside a two-dimensional electron-gas

We report direct observations of the scattering potentials in a two-dimensional electron-gas using electron-beam diffaction-experiments. The diffracting objects are local density-fluctuations caused by the spatial and charge-state distribution of the donors in the GaAs-(Al,Ga)As heterostructures. The scatterers can be manipulated externally by sample illumination, or by cooling the sample down under depleted conditions.