Direct electromegnetic generation of high frequency acoustic waves in semiconductor superlattices

The periodic space charge layers formed in semiconducting superlattice structures can be used for direct electromagnetic generation of high frequency acoustic waves. The mechanism for and resonant nature of the acoustic generation are discussed.     

两耦合半无限超晶格中的局域界面声子-极化激元

采用转移矩阵方法，研究了含结构缺陷层的两耦合半无限超晶格(GaAs/AlAs)中的局域界面声子-极化激元模性质. 研究发现，含不同介电特性的缺陷超晶格结构中的局域界面声子-极化激元模在剩余射线区［ω_TO, ω_LO］的分布情况与数量存在不同，而且反对称模表现出不同的特征. 文中着重研究了缺陷层介电常数与角频率无关的缺陷超晶格，发现该结构中的局域界面声子-极化激元模对组分层的排列顺序与厚度、缺陷层的厚度以及横向波数有着不同程度的依赖.     

Self-oscillations in semiconductor superlattices

An investigation is made of nonlinear oscillations of the field and current in semiconductor superlattices driven by strong terahertz radiation. Regimes of periodic, quasi-periodic, and stochastic self-oscillations are determined and mechanisms for their formation are discussed. It is shown that the self-oscillation spectra are many-valued functions of the external field amplitude and the static field in them is either absent, weak, or fractionally quantized. Previously predicted states of self-induced superlattice transparency and dynamic electron localization are destroyed as a result of the evolution of dissipative and parametric instabilities and can only be observed in transient processes whose duration decreases with increasing electron concentration.     

Amorphous semiconductor superlattices

The structural and electronic properties of a new class of superlattices consisting of layers of a-Si:H 8–1200 thick interleaved with a-Ge:H, a-Si_1?xC_x:H or a-SiN_x:H are reviewed.     

High-frequency optical signal generation in a semiconductor laser by incoherent optical feedback

This work examines the feasibility of using incoherent optical feedback to generate high-frequency optical signals in a semiconductor laser. At a roundtrip feedback distance of 30 cm, a signal appears at around 1 GHz while the laser output is kept in single longitudinal mode and single polarization. The proposed method does not use any external modulation or saturable absorber. Some of the signal's properties are discussed as well.     

Helicon waves in semiconductor superlattices

The dispersion relation for the helicon frequency of a system consisting of a periodic array of two-dimensional gas layers is studied as a function of both q and q_z, the components of the wavevector parallel and perpendicular to the layers. The result is compared with that for a homogeneous three-dimensional electron gas.     

Hopping mobility in semiconductor superlattices

We present results on the electrical transport perpendicular to interfaces in GaAs/Al_xGa_1?xAs superlattices. We have measured the current-voltage characteristics on a series of superlattices. This has been simulated numerically, the superlattice being replaced by an effective medium. Using this model we obtain the values of the effective mobility as a function of the superlattice period. Our data are in good agreement with a theory of phonon-assisted hopping transport between localized states, rather than the theory of phonon-limited band transport of Bloch waves.     

Absolute negative conductivity and spontaneous current generation in semiconductor superlattices with hot electrons

We study transport through a semiconductor superlattice with an electric field parallel to and a magnetic field perpendicular to the growth axis. Using a semiclassical balance equation model with elastic and inelastic scattering, we find that (1) the current-voltage characteristic becomes multistable in a large magnetic field and (2) "hot" electrons display novel features in their current-voltage characteristics, including absolute negative conductivity and a spontaneous dc current at zero bias. We discuss experimental situations providing hot electrons to observe these effects.     

Fano resonances in semiconductor superlattices

We use semiconductor superlattices as a model system for the investigation of Fano resonances. In absorption the excitonic transitions of the Wannier–Stark ladder show the typical asymmetric line shape due to coupling to the continuum of lower-lying transitions. The unique feature of these Fano resonances is that they allow to continuously tune the key parameter – the coupling strength Γ between the discrete state and the degenerate continuum – by varying the bias voltage. Using this feature, we directly show that the Fano coupling leads to a fast polarization decay. We also investigate the dependence of the Fano parameters on the structure of the superlattice and compare with an extensive theoretical model of the resonances.     

Collective excitations in semiconductor superlattices

Collective excitations in semiconductor superlattices are studied beyond tbe random-phase approximation (RPA). The Singwi, Tosi, Land and Sjölander (STLS) theory, which accounts for exchange and short-range correlations effects through an effective potential depending on the structurc factor, is generalized to the layered electron system described by the model of Visscher and Falicov. The exact numerical solution of the STLS self-consistent equations provides information about intraplane and interplane correlations. The plasmon dispersion curves are evaluated for some typical values of the coupling constant r_s of the electron system and the distance between the planes for GaAs/AlGaAs semiconductor superlattices. For comparison, the RPA and the Hubbard approximation are also considered.     

Polariton modes in semiconductor superlattices

Polariton electric fields and dispersion relations of some important complex-basis superlattices have been derived by means of electromagnetic theory and the Bloch's theorem. The spatial distribution of the polariton electric fields shows an interesting physical picture: the polaritons are mainly bulk modes as the wavenumber k is small and become typical interface modes with very strong peak intensities as k increases.     

Collective modes in semiconductor superlattices

Electronic collective modes in a semiconductor superlattice structure are studied within the self-consistent field approach. Plasmon and magneto-plasmon dispersion relations are obtained for the cases of strong and weak coupling between layers. The interaction of these collective modes with optical phonons is also investigated.     

Intraband dynamics and terahertz emission in biased semiconductor superlattices coupled to double far-infrared pulses

This paper studies both the intraband polarization and terahertz emission of a semiconductor superlattice in combined dc and ac electric fields by using the superposition of two identical time delayed and phase shifted optical pulses. By adjusting the delay between these two optical pulses, our results show that the intraband polarization is sensitive to the time delay. The peak values appear again for the terahertz emission intensity due to the superposition of two optical pulses. The emission lines of terahertz blueshift and redshift in different ac electric fields and dynamic localization appears. The emission lines of THz only appear to blueshift when the biased superlattice is driven by a single optical pulse. Due to excitonic dynamic localization, the terahertz emission intensity decays with time in different dc and ac electric fields. These are features of this superlattice which distinguish it from a superlattice generated by a single optical pulse to drive it.     

Escape time model for the current self-oscillation frequencies. in weakly coupled semiconductor superlattices

A semiclassical model was developed to predict the frequencies of current self-oscillations in weakly coupled semiconductor superlattices (SLs). The calculated frequency is derived from the classical round trip time in one well and the tunneling probability through the barrier, using the well and barrier width, effective masses and band offsets as well as the resulting energies of the sub- and minibands as input parameters. For all SLs, the measured frequency dependence on the sample parameters can be well described by our model. For weakly (strongly) coupled SLs, the calculated frequencies are somewhat above (below) the observed ones. The changeover from one behavior to the other occurs for SLs with miniband widths of a few meV. Received: 2 August 2000 / Accepted: 27 October 2000 / Published online: 28 February 2001     

Band mixing effect in semiconductor superlattices

The band mixing effect on the electronic and optical properties of semiconductor superlattices is studied within the framework of the empirical tight-binding model. It is found that the superlattice periodic potentials mix the bulk heavy hole, light hole and spin-orbit-split bands in the valence band states. As a consequence, the optical matrix elements associated with various valence-to-conduction subband transitions are very sensitive to the variation of the wavevector in directions parallel to the interface ( _t). We find that band mixing in conjunction with the exciton effect can account for the Δn≠0 forbidden transitions observed in several recent experiments.     

Phonon polariton modes in semiconductor superlattices

Phonon polariton modes in semiconductor superlattices are studied. Polariton electric fields and the dispersion relation are derived by electromagnetic theory, and due to periodicity in the direction normal to the superlattice layers, Bloch's theorem is applied. Polariton modes are found to exist between the TO and LO phonon frequencies, and approach the surface polariton frequency in the limit of large tangential wave vectors. The frequencies are also strongly dependent on the ratio of the layer thicknesses. Results are illustrated by a GaAsGaP superlattice.     

Self-induced shapiro effect in semiconductor superlattices

We observe that the oscillatory motion of photoinjected electron-hole pairs in a biased semiconductor superlattice (Bloch oscillation) is accompanied by a coherent quasi-dc current that is generated by the interaction of the carriers with the self-induced oscillating field. It is shown that this novel macroscopic quantum effect, which is a coherent analog of the Shapiro effect observed in Josephson junctions, can be controlled by changing the spectral position of the exciting laser pulse, which in turn determines the amplitude and phase of the wave packet oscillations. It is thereby possible to coherently drive the electrons either downwards or upwards in the potential of the static field.