2,811 research outputs found
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
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
Magneto-electric effect in NdCrTiO5
We have measured the dielectric constant and the pyroelectric current of
orthorhombic (space group ) NdCrTiO polycrystalline samples. The
dielectric constant and the pyroelectric current show features associated with
ferroelectric transitions at the antiferromagnetic transition temperature
( = 21 K). The effect of magnetic fields is to enhance the
features almost linearly up to the maximum measured field (7 T) with a
spontaneous polarization value of C/m. Two possible
scenarios, the linear magnetoelectric effect and multiferroicity
(antiferromagnetism + ferroelectricity), are discussed as possible explanations
for the observations.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure
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