Coherent Hall effect in a semiconductor superlattice

The coherent Hall effect denotes the transient Hall response of impulsively excited coherent charge-carrier wave packets in a solid. We report the first experimental study of this phenomenon (i) using a semiconductor superlattice in crossed electric and magnetic fields as a model for three-dimensional materials and (ii) employing a contactless optoelectronic technique to probe the transient currents. Two field regimes with distinctly different oscillatory wave packet dynamics are found, separated from each other by a transition region where all oscillations are suppressed.     

Wave-function reconstruction in a graded semiconductor superlattice

We reconstruct a test wave function in a strongly coupled, graded well-width superlattice by resolving the spatial extension of the interband polarisation and deducing the wave function employing non-linear optical spectroscopy. The graded gap superlattice allows us to precisely control the distance between test and probe wave functions. By spatially tuning one wave function with respect to the other and recording the amplitude and the sign of the modulation of the spectrally resolved four-wave-mixing (FWM) signal with respect to delay, we are able to reconstruct the test wave function. Our numerical simulation of the third-order response of an inhomogeneously broadened system reproduces the experimental data in great detail. The wave function used for the modelling is computed by a one-dimensional transfer matrix model including electron–hole Coulomb interaction. Our experimental scheme inherently allows us to quantitatively distinguish between non-linear mechanisms leading to the FWM signal, namely phase-space filling and excitation-induced dephasing. PACS 78.47.+p; 71.35.Cc; 42.50.Md; 42.65.Re     

Effect of an external resonator on the space charge dynamics in a semiconductor superlattice

The dynamics of a semiconductor superlattice in an external resonator is studied. It is shown that the external electrodynamic system considerably complicates the behavior of the superlattice by exciting random oscillations and leads to additional negative differential conductivity in the I–V characteristic that is not observed in an autonomous system.     

Space charge dynamics in a semiconductor superlattice affected by titled magnetic field and heating

The transition between different modes of current oscillations in a semiconductor superlattice, from close-to-harmonic (near the generation onset) to relaxation oscillations, has been investigated. The transition type is shown to change with an increase in temperature. A period-doubling bifurcation is observed at low temperatures. With an increase in temperature, the period-doubling bifurcation is observed at increasingly larger values of the voltage across the superlattice. The doubling bifurcation ceases to be observed at voltages at which the generation of oscillations of the current through the semiconductor superlattice is suppressed.     

Operation of a semiconductor superlattice oscillator

We report an experimental study of a semiconductor superlattice oscillator and present an analysis of the origin of gain. The oscillator generated microwave radiation (at frequencies around 60 GHz). An analysis of the results suggests that the oscillator operated in a pure charge accumulation mode that can occur in a medium with a negative differential mobility. We relate the negative differential mobility to miniband transport. Additionally, we propose a microwave-terahertz double oscillator that may be suitable to realize a terahertz Bloch oscillator.     

Intersubband plasmons of a semiconductor superlattice

Collective intersubband plasmon-like excitations are predicted to exist for a semiconductor superlattice. These modes arise because the single quantum well depolarization shifted intersubband excitation couples via the long-range Coulomb interaction with the corresponding excitations of the other quantum wells of the superlattice. The dispersion relation for these intersubband plasmons is obtained.     

两种扩展Harper模型的波包动力学

本文通过二次矩M₂(t)和概率分布W_n(t)数值地研究了两种扩展Harper模型的波包动力学,得到了这两种模型中各个相、各条临界线以及三相点的波包扩散情况.对于第一种扩展Harper模型,发现两个金属相中波包是弹道扩散的,在绝缘体相中波包不扩散,而在三相点以及各条临界线上波包是反常扩散的.同时,发现金属相—金属相转变的临界线上的波包动力学行为与金属相—绝缘体相转变的临界线上的相同,但三相点的动力学行为与各临 关键词： 金属绝缘体转变 扩展Harper模型 波包动力学     

Wave packet splitting and zitterbewegung in two-dimensional semiconductor structures with spin-orbit coupling

Dynamics of electron wave packets in an asymmetric quantum well in the presence of Rashba spinorbit coupling was analytically and numerically studied. Electron Green’s functions were introduced and the evolution of 1D and 2D wave packets was studied. The effect of packet splitting caused by the presence of two branches with different chiralities in the Rashba Hamiltonian spectrum and zitterbewegung, i.e., packet center’s jitter, was studied. Spatial components of the spin density were calculated. It was shown that the component of the spin density S _y in split parts of the wave packet has opposite signs, and two other spin density components oscillate in space between scattering packets.     

Spin-orbit interactions in semiconductor superlattice

The purpose of this paper is to theoretically investigate the spin-orbit interactions of common semiconductor superlattices. Spin splitting and spin-orbit interaction coefficients are calculated based on interactions between the interface-related-Rashba effect and Dresselhaus effect. Semiconductor superlattice shows a series of specific characteristics in spin splitting as follows. The spin splitting of the superlattice structure is greater than that of a single quantum well, contributing to significant spin polarization, spin filtering, and convenient manipulation of spintronic devices. The spin splitting of some superlattice structures does not change with variation of the size of some constituent quantum wells, reducing the requirements for accuracy in the size of quantum wells. The total spin splitting of lower sub-levels of some superlattice can be designed to be zero, realizing a persistent spin helix effect and long spin relaxation time, however, the total spin splitting of higher sub-levels is still appreciable, contributing to desirable spin polarization. These results demonstrate that one superlattice structure can realize two functions, acting as a spin field effect transistor and a spin filter.     

Crystalline amorphous semiconductor superlattice

A new class of superlattice, crystalline amorphous superlattice (CASL), by alternatively depositing two semiconductor materials, is proposed. CASL displays three states depending on the component materials' phase: both polycrystalline phases, both amorphous phases, and one polycrystalline phase while another amorphous phase. Using materials capable of reversible phase transition, CASL can demonstrate reversibility among three states. GeTe/Sb(2)Te(3) CASL has been synthesized and proved by x-ray reflectometry and TEM results. The reversible transition among three states induced by electrical and laser pulse was observed. The changes in the optical absorption edge, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, and crystallization temperature as a function of layer thickness are interpreted as quantum or nanoeffects. The unique properties of CASL enable the design of materials with specific properties.     

Wave packet dynamics in a nonlinear tunnel-coupled structure of right- and left-handed media

The dynamics of a wave packet formed by tunnel-coupled forward and backward waves in a waveguide structure consisting of media with different signs of real parts of their refractive indices is investigated. Expressions for coupled-wave amplitude and reflection and transmission coefficients that are corrected for absorption are derived in the linear approximation. The expressions governing the wave-packet duration and propagation velocity of its envelope maximum are derived, taking into account the second-order dispersion, cubic nonlinearity, and dispersion of the nonlinearity. The possibility of efficient control of the forward wave velocity by applying an external magnetic field is demonstrated.     

Wave packet dynamics in a quasi-one-dimensional metal-halogen complex studied by ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy

An ultrafast optical response is studied in a quasi-one-dimensional halogen-bridged mixed-valence metal complex [Pt(en)(2)] [Pt(en)2I2] (ClO4)(4) with ultrafast time resolution. Wave packet motions both in the ground and self-trapped exciton (STE) states are observed as oscillatory modulations in the time-resolved reflectivity. The wave packet motion on the STE potential surface begins after about 50 fs with respect to the photoexcitation. This delay is attributed to the lattice relaxation from the free exciton state to the STE state.     

Longitudinal stark-cyclotron waves in semiconductor with a superlattice

Semiconductor with a superlattice in static electrical and magnetic fields parallel to the superlattice axis is considered. The existence of Stark-cyclotron longitudinal waves in non-local approximation is predicted.     

Plasmons and their damping in a doped semiconductor superlattice

The complex zeroes of dielectric response function of a doped GaAs superlattice are computed to study the frequencies and damping rates of oscillations in coupled electron-hole plasma. The real part of a complex zero describes the plasma frequency, whereas imaginary part of it yields the damping rate. Strong scattering of charge carriers from random impurity potentials in a doped GaAs superlattice gives rise to a large value of damping rate which causes over-damping of plasma oscillations of coupled electron-hole gas below q_c, a critical value of wave vector component (q) along the plane of a layer of electrons (holes). The plasma oscillations which correspond to electrons gas enter into over-damped regime for the case of weak coupling between layers. Whereas, plasma oscillations which belong to hole gas go to over-damped regime of oscillations for both strong as well as weak coupling between layers. The damping rate shows strongq-dependence forq < q_c, whereas it weakly depends onq forq ≥q _c . The damping rate exhibits a sudden change atq =q _c , indicating a transition from non-diffusive regime (where collective excitation can be excited) to diffusive regime (over-damped oscillations).