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

Abstract

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