Phonon-induced resistance oscillations of two-dimensional electron systems drifting with supersonic velocities

We present a theory of the phonon-assisted nonlinear dc transport of 2D electrons in high Landau levels. The nonlinear dissipative resistivity displays quantum magneto-oscillations governed by two parameters which are proportional to the Hall drift velocity $v_H$ of electrons in electric field and the speed of sound $s$. In the subsonic regime, $v_H<s$, the theory quantitatively reproduces the oscillation pattern observed in recent experiments. We also find the $\pi/2$ phase change of oscillations across the sound barrier $v_H=s$. In the supersonic regime, $v_H>s$, the amplitude of oscillations saturates with lowering temperature, while the subsonic region displays exponential suppression of the phonon-assisted oscillations with temperature.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Influence of contacts on the microwave response of a two-dimensional electron stripe

Electromagnetic response of a finite-width two-dimensional electron stripe with attached metallic side contacts is theoretically studied. It is shown that contacts substantially influence the position, the linewidth, and the amplitude of plasmon-polariton resonances in the stripe. In finite magnetic fields, absorption of the wave with the inactive circular polarization (which is not absorbed in an infinite system without contacts) may become larger than that of the wave with the active polarization. The results are discussed in view of recent microwave experiments in two-dimensional electron systems.Comment: 13 pages, incl. 9 figures, the paper has been substantially modified and extended, new results have been added. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Radiation-induced magnetoresistance oscillations in two-dimensional electron systems under bichromatic irradiation

We analyze the magnetoresistance $R_{xx}$ oscillations in high-mobility two-dimensional electron systems induced by the combined driving of two radiation fields of frequency $\omega_1$ and $\omega_2$, based on the balance-equation approach to magnetotransport for high-carrier-density systems in Faraday geometry. It is shown that under bichromatic irradiation of $\omega_2\sim 1.5 \omega_1$, most of the characterstic peak-valley pairs in the curve of $R_{xx}$ versus magnetic field in the case of monochromatic irradiation of either $\omega_1$ or $\omega_2$ disappear, except the one around $\omega_1/\omega_c\sim 2$ or $\omega_2/\omega_c\sim 3$. $R_{xx}$ oscillations show up mainly as new peak-valley structures around other positions related to multiple photon processes of mixing frequencies $\omega_1+\omega_2$, $\omega_2-\omega_1$, etc. Many minima of these resistance peak-valley pairs can descend down to negative with enhancing radiation strength, indicating the possible bichromaticzero-resistance states.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Nonlinear effects in microwave photoconductivity of two-dimensional electron systems

We present a model for microwave photoconductivity of two-dimensional electron systems in a magnetic field which describes the effects of strong microwave and steady-state electric fields. Using this model, we derive an analytical formula for the photoconductivity associated with photon- and multi-photon-assisted impurity scattering as a function of the frequency and power of microwave radiation. According to the developed model, the microwave conductivity is an oscillatory function of the frequency of microwave radiation and the cyclotron frequency which turns zero at the cyclotron resonance and its harmonics. It exhibits maxima and minima (with absolute negative conductivity) at the microwave frequencies somewhat different from the resonant frequencies. The calculated power dependence of the amplitude of the microwave photoconductivity oscillations exhibits pronounced sublinear behavior similar to a logarithmic function. The height of the microwave photoconductivity maxima and the depth of its minima are nonmonotonic functions of the electric field. It is pointed to the possibility of a strong widening of the maxima and minima due to a strong sensitivity of their parameters on the electric field and the presence of strong long-range electric-field fluctuations. The obtained dependences are consistent with the results of the experimental observations.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures Labeling of the curves in Fig.3 correcte

Photo-excited zero-resistance states in the GaAs/AlGaAs system

The microwave-excited high mobility two-dimensional electron system exhibits, at liquid helium temperatures, vanishing resistance in the vicinity of $B = [4/(4j+1)] B_{f}$, where $B_{f} = 2\pi\textit{f}m^{*}/e$, m$^{*}$ is an effective mass, e is the charge, and \textit{f} is the microwave frequency. Here, we summarize some experimental results.Comment: 7 color figures, 5 page

Absolute Negative Conductivity in Two-Dimensional Electron Systems Associated with Acoustic Scattering Stimulated by Microwave Radiation

We discuss the feasibility of absolute negative conductivity (ANC) in two-dimensional electron systems (2DES) stimulated by microwave radiation in transverse magnetic field. The mechanism of ANC under consideration is associated with the electron scattering on acoustic piezoelectric phonons accompanied by the absorption of microwave photons. It is demonstrated that the dissipative components of the 2DES dc conductivity can be negative ($\sigma_{xx} = \sigma_{yy} < 0$) when the microwave frequency $\Omega$ is somewhat higher than the electron cyclotron frequency $\Omega_c$ or its harmonics. The concept of ANC associated with such a scattering mechanism can be invoked to explain the nature of the occurrence of zero-resistance ``dissipationless'' states observed in recent experiments.Comment: 7 pager, 2 figure

Microwave-induced magnetotransport phenomena in two-dimensional electron systems: Importance of electrodynamic effects

We discuss possible origins of recently discovered microwave induced photoresistance oscillations in very-high-electron-mobility two-dimensional electron systems. We show that electrodynamic effects -- the radiative decay, plasma oscillations, and retardation effects, -- are important under the experimental conditions, and that their inclusion in the theory is essential for understanding the discussed and related microwave induced magnetotransport phenomena.Comment: 5 pages, including 2 figures and 1 tabl

Quantum and classical surface acoustic wave induced magnetoresistance oscillations in a 2D electron gas

We study theoretically the geometrical and temporal commensurability oscillations induced in the resistivity of 2D electrons in a perpendicular magnetic field by surface acoustic waves (SAWs). We show that there is a positive anisotropic dynamical classical contribution and an isotropic non-equilibrium quantum contribution to the resistivity. We describe how the commensurability oscillations modulate the resonances in the SAW-induced resistivity at multiples of the cyclotron frequency. We study the effects of both short-range and long-range disorder on the resistivity corrections for both the classical and quantum non-equilibrium cases. We predict that the quantum correction will give rise to zero-resistance states with associated geometrical commensurability oscillations at large SAW amplitude for sufficiently large inelastic scattering times. These zero resistance states are qualitatively similar to those observed under microwave illumination, and their nature depends crucially on whether the disorder is short- or long-range. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results for current and future experiments on two dimensional electron gases.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figure

Electric-Field Breakdown of Absolute Negative Conductivity and Supersonic Streams in Two-Dimensional Electron Systems with Zero Resistance/Conductance States

We calculate the current-voltage characteristic of a two-dimensional electron system (2DES) subjected to a magnetic field at strong electric fields. The interaction of electrons with piezoelectric acoustic phonons is considered as a major scattering mechanism governing the current-voltage characteristic. It is shown that at a sufficiently strong electric field corresponding to the Hall drift velocity exceeding the velocity of sound, the dissipative current exhibits an overshoot. The overshoot of the dissipative current can result in a breakdown of the absolute negative conductivity caused by microwave irradiation and, therefore, substantially effect the formation of the domain structures with the zero-resistance and zero-conductance states and supersonic electron streams.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure