Excitation of coherent acoustic phonons by a femtosecond pulse

Physics of the Solid State - Excitation of coherent acoustic phonons in superlattices or layered materials by a femtosecond pulse is considered. In superlattices, coherent acoustic phonons with a...     

Theory of nonlinear effects in semiconductors with a nondiffusion approximation for acoustic phonons

Momentum and energy balance equations in impurity semi-metals and degenerate semiconductors are derived and investigated in a nondiffusion approximation for the acoustic phonons with arbitrary heating and entrainment of electrons and phonons taken into account. It was shown that the diffusion approximation is not satisfied even for relatively weak electrical fields. In cases of thermal entrainment and no heating of the phonons, cases are possible when the electron temperature becomes equal to and less than the lattice temperature, which is associated with radiation obtained from the energy field by electrons in the form of acoustic phonons at a point of acoustic instability. If mutual entrainment and heating of electrons and phonons occurs then the crystal boundaries are the main channel of energy and momentum relaxation. Necessary conditions delimiting the strong changes of all the galvano- and thermomagnetic effects at a point of acoustic instability are found in every specific case.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 11, pp. 11–16, November, 1990.     

Terahertz absorption by electrons and confined acoustic phonons in free-standing quantum wells

The acoustic phonon confinement in a free-standing quantum well (FSQW) results in an acoustic phonon energy quantization. Typical quantization energies are in the terahertz frequency range. Free electrons may absorb electromagnetic waves in this frequency range if they emit or absorb acoustic phonons. Therefore, the terahertz absorption reveals the characteristic features of the acoustic phonon spectrum in free-standing structures. We have calculated the absorption coefficient of an electromagnetic wave by free electrons in a FSQW in the terahertz frequency range. We took into account a time dependent electric field, an exact form of the acoustic phonon spectrum and eigenmodes, and electron interactions with confined acoustic phonons through the deformation potential. We demonstrate numerical results for GaAs FSQW of width 100 Å at low lattice temperatures in the frequency range 0.1-1 THz. The absorption coefficient exhibits several structures at frequencies corresponding to the lowest acoustic phonon modes. These features occur due to absorption of photons by electrons, which is accompanied by the emission of corresponding acoustic phonons.     

Hot electron conduction in lead telluride

The velocity of hot electrons in PbTe at 77 K is calculated by an iterative-integral technique. Scattering by polar-optical phonons, acoustic phonons, and first-order-coupled intervalley phonons is included.     

Acoustic phonons transport in a quantum waveguide embedded double defects

By using scattering matrix method, we investigate the acoustic phonons transport in a quantum waveguide embedded double defects at low temperatures. When acoustic phonons propagate through the waveguide, the total transmission coefficient versus the reduced phonon frequency exhibits a series of resonant peaks and dips, and acoustic waves interfere with each other in the waveguide to form standing wave with particular wavelengths. In the waveguide with void defects, acoustic phonons whose frequencies approach zero can transport without scattering. The acoustic phonons propagating in the waveguide with clamped material defects, the phonons frequencies must be larger than a threshold frequency. It is also found that the thermal conductance versus temperature is qualitatively different for different types of defects. At low temperatures, when the double defects are void, the universal quantum thermal conductance and a thermal conductance plateau can be clearly observed. However, when the double defects consist of clamped material, the quantized thermal conductance disappears but a threshold temperature where mode 0 can be excited emerges. The results can provide some references in controlling thermal conductance artificially and the design of phonon devices.     

Acoustic phonons transport in a quantum waveguide embedded double defects

By using scattering matrix method, we investigate the acoustic phonons transport in a quantum waveguide embedded double defects at low temperatures. When acoustic phonons propagate through the waveguide, the total transmission coefficient versus the reduced phonon frequency exhibits a series of resonant peaks and dips, and acoustic waves interfere with each other in the waveguide to form standing wave with particular wavelengths. In the waveguide with void defects, acoustic phonons whose frequencies approach zero can transport without scattering. The acoustic phonons propagating in the waveguide with clamped material defects, the phonons frequencies must be larger than a threshold frequency. It is also found that the thermal conductance versus temperature is qualitatively different for different types of defects. At low temperatures, when the double defects are void, the universal quantum thermal conductance and a thermal conductance plateau can be clearly observed. However, when the double defects consist of clamped material, the quantized thermal conductance disappears but a threshold temperature where mode 0 can be excited emerges. The results can provide some references in controlling thermal conductance artificially and the design of phonon devices.     

Optical and acoustic electron-phonon coupling in Ho and Tb dihydrides and dideuterides

We present detailed measurements of the electrical resistivity for terbium and holmium dihydrides and dideuterides. An analysis of the thermal variation, ?(T), permits to separate two contributions, one stemming from the acoustic or host metal ion vibration and a second which is related to the optical H (or D) vibrations and which is strongly isotope dependent. The thermal variations can be reasonably well represented by a Debye spectrum as concerns the acoustic phonons and by an Einstein spectrum as concerns the optical phonons. We find also that the strength of the electron-phonon coupling is much weaker for the optical phonons as compared to the acoustic ones, in agreement with recent estimates from the theory.     

Phonon focussing patterns: Calculation of response of finite area detectors to pulsed ballistic beams of dispersive and dispersionless phonons

The phonon images of crystals are described in the frame of the Boltzmann kinetic equation. Monochromatic heat pulses of the dispersive and dispersionless acoustic phonons are considered. Exact expressions for the energy and quasimomentum carried by a pulsed beam of monochromatic dispersionless acoustic phonons falling onto a detector of the finite area are derived. These formulae provide us with a convenient starting point for numerical calculations of phonon images. For the example of long wave-length acoustic phonons and a point as well as extended sources, an algorithm for numerical calculations of phonon images of anisotropic crystalline media is presented. However, it is quite general and can be easily adapted for dispersive phonons and to quasiparticles with an arbitrary dispersion low.     

Effect of diffusion layers and defect layer on acoustic phonons transport through the structure consisting of different films

By using the continuum elastic approximation model and the transfer matrix method, we investigate the effect of diffusion layers and defect layer on acoustic phonons transport through the structure consisting of different films. Our work show that most acoustic phonons can easily pass the structure, but some only have much less transmission probabilities and form corresponding dips in the transmission spectrum. With the change of the structure parameters such as the width of diffusion layers and defect layer, the number of unit cell and the density of containing Al in diffusion layers and defect layer, the magnitude of the frequencies of acoustic phonons corresponding to the dips almost remain unchanged, but the transmission coefficients corresponding to the dips change at different degree, and the transmission probabilities of some frequencies are very sensitive to the variation of the above-mentioned structure parameters. These results can provide some references in controlling the transmission coefficients of acoustic phonons, devising parts of acoustic apparatus and theoretical investigation related.     

Mechanism of strong resonant 1LO Raman scattering

The interaction of electrons with impurities and the quasi-elastic scattering of electrons by acoustic phonons highly enhances the efficiency of resonant 1 LO Raman scattering. As a result, for a wide range of parameter values the efficiency of resonant scattering becomes rather strong and does not depend on the strength of interaction of electrons with the impurities and acoustic phonons, and on the impurity concentration.     

Effect of magnon-phonon interaction on phonon damping of two-dimensional Heisenberg ferromagnetic system at finite temperature

A magnon-phonon interaction model is developed on the basis of a two-dimensional square Heisenberg ferromagnetic system. By using Matsubara Green function theory we studied the transverse and longitudinal acoustic phonon dampings and calculated the transverse and longitudinal acoustic phonon damping curves on the main symmetric point and line in the first Brillouin zone. It is found that on the line Δ there is no damping for transverse acoustic phonon and on the line Z there is no damping for longitudinal acoustic phonon. In the first Brillouin zone the damping of transverse acoustic phonons is at least one order larger than that of longitudinal acoustic phonons. The influences of various parameters on transverse and longitudinal acoustic phonon dampings are discussed and the lifetime and the density of state of transverse and longitudinal acoustic phonons are explored as well according to the relation of the phonon damping and its lifetime and the relation of the phonon damping and its density of state.     

通过形变势弱耦合表面极化子的性质

采用Huybrechts线性组合算符和幺正变换法,导出了晶体中电子与表面光学声子和表面声学声子均为弱耦合极化子的有效哈密顿量,并对两种极限情况进行了讨论。     

Anomalous behavior of phonons in NbCu metallic superlattices

Brillouin and Raman scattering investigations have been performed on NbCu metallic superlattices. Anomalies have been observed in the surface acoustic phonons and bulk acoustic phonons versus superlattice wavelength. These anomalies occur simultaneously at the same superlattice wavelength ≈ 19 Å.     

低温下多通道量子结构中的弹性声子输运和热导

利用弹性近似模型和散射矩阵方法,研究了低温下多通道量子结构中的弹性声学声子输运的性质. 计算结果表明,对于低频声学声子,只要通道的横向宽度相同,各通道中最低阶模的透射概率几乎不受其他结构参数的影响,且其数值都接近于0.25;而高频声学声子在各通道中的透射概率与结构参数密切相关,不同通道中的透射概率不同;当温度非常低时,各通道的热导都接近于量子化热导π²k²_BT/(3h)的四分之一;随着温度的升高,各通道的热导增减 关键词： 声学声子输运 热导 量子结构     

Ultrafast acoustics in the middle UV range: coherent phonons at higher frequencies and in smaller objects

We show that the propagation of coherent acoustic phonons generated by femtosecond optical excitation can be clearly resolved using a probe laser in the middle UV (MUV) range. The MUV probe is easily produced from a high-repetition-rate femtosecond laser and a homemade frequency tripler. We present various experimental results that demonstrate efficient and high frequency detection of acoustic phonons. Thus, we show that the MUV range offers a unique way to reach higher frequencies and probe smaller objects in ultrafast acoustics.     

Generation of high-frequency phonons by defect-induced one-phonon absorption

By defect-induced one-phonon absorption of pulsed infrared radiation, we excited in diamond phonons at 28 THz. Their anharmonic decay leads to nonthermal frequency distributions of acoustic phonons which we investigated in a frequency range between 0.5 THz and 6 THz by use of vibronic sideband spectroscopy.     

Effect of Gaussian acoustic nanocavities in a narrow constriction on ballistic phonon transmission

We investigate the effect of Gaussian acoustic nanocavities in a narrow constriction on ballistic phonon transport through a semiconductor nanowire at low temperatures. When the transverse width of acoustic nanocavities takes a Gaussian function, it is found that the resonant peaks and band gaps in transmission spectra are obvious, indicating that the system has selective transmission and filters actions for ballistic phonons. The number and length of nanocavities have significant effects on the phonon transmission and thermal conductance. The results are compared with those in uniform width acoustic nanocavities. The Gaussian acoustic nanocavities are therefore a promising phononic device to manipulate ballistic phonons in nanophononics.     

Conductivity tensor and scattering of carriers in isotropic crystals with parabolic bands

The conductivity tensor for isotropic crystals with parabolic bands is evaluated for mixed scattering by phonons and charged centers and for various values of the reduced Fermi level. The evaluated tensor elements are shown as a function of magnetic field in reduced scales, which makes it easy to compare widely different characteristics of any crystal. The effect of mixing is important in discussing the scattering mechanism-the galvanomagnetic effects for mixed scattering by acoustic phonons and charged centers resemble, in a certain range of mixing, those for pure optical phonon scattering rather than for acoustic.     

Phonon detection by shallow electronic trap states in luminescent ZnO

High-frequency acoustic phonons are detected in a ZnO crystal by phonon- induced luminescence radiation. Our experiments indicate that this radiation is caused by recombination processes of carriers captured at very shallow traps with an ionization energy of about 4 meV. Propagation of the phonons is studied by a time of flight method.     

Picosecond x-ray studies of coherent folded acoustic phonons in a multiple quantum well

Coherent folded acoustic phonons in a multilayered GaSb/InAs epitaxial heterostructure were generated by femtosecond laser pulses and studied by means of ultrafast x-ray diffraction. Coherent phonons excited simultaneously in the fundamental acoustic branch and the first back-folded branch were detected. This represents the first clear evidence for phonon branch folding based directly on the atomic motion to which x-ray diffraction is sensitive. From a comparison of the measured phonon-modulated x-ray reflectivity with simulations, evidence was found for a reduction of the laser penetration depth. This reduction can be explained by the self-modulation of the refractive index due to photogenerated free carriers.