Fractional and unquantized dc voltage generation in THz-driven semiconductor superlattices

We consider the spontaneous creation of a dc voltage across a strongly coupled semiconductor superlattice subjected to THz radiation. We show that the dc voltage may be approximately proportional either to an integer or to a half- integer multiple of the frequency of the applied ac field, depending on the ratio of the characteristic scattering rates of conducting electrons. For the case of an ac field frequency less than the characteristic scattering rates, we demonstrate the generation of an unquantized dc voltage.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, RevTEX, EPSF. Revised version v3: corrected typo

Superlattice with hot electron injection: an approach to a Bloch oscillator

A semiconductor superlattice with hot electron injection into the miniband is considered. The injection changes the stationary distribution function and results in a qualitative change of the frequency behaviour of the differential conductivity. In the regime with Bloch oscillating electrons and injection into the upper part of the miniband the region of negative differential conductivity is shifted from low frequencies to higher frequencies. We find that the dc differential conductivity can be made positive and thus the domain instability can be suppressed. At the same time the high-frequency differential conductivity is negative above the Bloch frequency. This opens a new way to make a Bloch oscillator operating at THz frequencies.Comment: RevTeX, 8 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. B, 15 Januar 200

Spontaneous DC Current Generation in a Resistively Shunted Semiconductor Superlattice Driven by a TeraHertz Field

We study a resistively shunted semiconductor superlattice subject to a high-frequency electric field. Using a balance equation approach that incorporates the influence of the electric circuit, we determine numerically a range of amplitude and frequency of the ac field for which a dc bias and current are generated spontaneously and show that this region is likely accessible to current experiments. Our simulations reveal that the Bloch frequency corresponding to the spontaneous dc bias is approximately an integer multiple of the ac field frequency.Comment: 8 pages, Revtex, 3 Postscript figure

Impact of hydrocarbon drilling mud on mud motor elastomers at different temperatures

The paper describes the experimental research of hydrocarbon drilling mud impact on engineering parameters of mud motor elastomer samples. It is believed to be urgent due to an increase in using mud motors in oil and gas well construction now, and the issue of intense exploitation is currently topical. The test results of elastomer IRP- 1226 dependent on the temperature are shown in the paper. It is proved that the hydrocarbon drilling muds have a significant impact on wearing of mud motors elastomers under the condition of a temperature increase

Phonon spectrum and soft-mode behavior of MgCNi_3

Temperature dependent inelastic neutron-scattering measurements of the generalized phonon density-of-states for superconducting MgCNi_3, T_c=8 K, give evidence for a soft-mode behavior of low-frequency Ni phonon modes. Results are compared with ab initio density functional calculations which suggest an incipient lattice instability of the stoichiometric compound with respect to Ni vibrations orthogonal to the Ni-C bond direction.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Current-voltage characteristic and stability in resonant-tunneling n-doped semiconductor superlattices

We review the occurrence of electric-field domains in doped superlattices within a discrete drift model. A complete analysis of the construction and stability of stationary field profiles having two domains is carried out. As a consequence, we can provide a simple analytical estimation for the doping density above which stable stable domains occur. This bound may be useful for the design of superlattices exhibiting self-sustained current oscillations. Furthermore we explain why stable domains occur in superlattices in contrast to the usual Gunn diode.Comment: Tex file and 3 postscript figure

Dissipative Chaos in Semiconductor Superlattices

We consider the motion of ballistic electrons in a miniband of a semiconductor superlattice (SSL) under the influence of an external, time-periodic electric field. We use the semi-classical balance-equation approach which incorporates elastic and inelastic scattering (as dissipation) and the self-consistent field generated by the electron motion. The coupling of electrons in the miniband to the self-consistent field produces a cooperative nonlinear oscillatory mode which, when interacting with the oscillatory external field and the intrinsic Bloch-type oscillatory mode, can lead to complicated dynamics, including dissipative chaos. For a range of values of the dissipation parameters we determine the regions in the amplitude-frequency plane of the external field in which chaos can occur. Our results suggest that for terahertz external fields of the amplitudes achieved by present-day free electron lasers, chaos may be observable in SSLs. We clarify the nature of this novel nonlinear dynamics in the superlattice-external field system by exploring analogies to the Dicke model of an ensemble of two-level atoms coupled with a resonant cavity field and to Josephson junctions.Comment: 33 pages, 8 figure

MEG Upgrade Proposal

We propose the continuation of the MEG experiment to search for the charged lepton flavour violating decay (cLFV) \mu \to e \gamma, based on an upgrade of the experiment, which aims for a sensitivity enhancement of one order of magnitude compared to the final MEG result, down to the $6 \times 10^{-14}$ level. The key features of this new MEG upgrade are an increased rate capability of all detectors to enable running at the intensity frontier and improved energy, angular and timing resolutions, for both the positron and photon arms of the detector. On the positron-side a new low-mass, single volume, high granularity tracker is envisaged, in combination with a new highly segmented, fast timing counter array, to track positron from a thinner stopping target. The photon-arm, with the largest liquid xenon (LXe) detector in the world, totalling 900 l, will also be improved by increasing the granularity at the incident face, by replacing the current photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) with a larger number of smaller photosensors and optimizing the photosensor layout also on the lateral faces. A new DAQ scheme involving the implementation of a new combined readout board capable of integrating the diverse functions of digitization, trigger capability and splitter functionality into one condensed unit, is also under development. We describe here the status of the MEG experiment, the scientific merits of the upgrade and the experimental methods we plan to use.Comment: A. M. Baldini and T. Mori Spokespersons. Research proposal submitted to the Paul Scherrer Institute Research Committee for Particle Physics at the Ring Cyclotron. 131 Page