High-frequency oscillations in low-dimensional conductors and semiconductor superlattices induced by current in stack direction

A narrow energy band of the electronic spectrum in some direction in low-dimensional crystals may lead to a negative differential conductance and N-shaped I-V curve that results in an instability of the uniform stationary state. A well-known stable solution for such a system is a state with electric field domain. We have found a uniform stable solution in the region of negative differential conductance. This solution describes uniform high-frequency voltage oscillations. Frequency of the oscillation is determined by antenna properties of the system. The results are applicable also to semiconductor superlattices.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Electron Bloch Oscillations and Electromagnetic Transparency of Semiconductor Superlattices in Multi-Frequency Electric Fields

We examine phenomenon of electromagnetic transparency in semiconductor superlattices (having various miniband dispersion laws) in the presence of multi-frequency periodic and non-periodic electric fields. Effects of induced transparency and spontaneous generation of static fields are discussed. We paid a special attention on a self-induced electromagnetic transparency and its correlation to dynamic electron localization. Processes and mechanisms of the transparency formation, collapse, and stabilization in the presence of external fields are studied. In particular, we present the numerical results of the time evolution of the superlattice current in an external biharmonic field showing main channels of transparency collapse and its partial stabilization in the case of low electron density superlattices