Anharmonic Bloch oscillations of electrons in electrically biased superlattices

Journal Article · Tue Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 2016 · Semiconductors

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063782616110117· OSTI ID:22649670

Girshova, E. I.; Kaliteevski, M. A. ^[1]; Clark, S. J. ^[2]; Gallant, A. J. ^[3]

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1. ITMO University (Russian Federation)
2. University of Durham, Department of Physics (United Kingdom)
3. University of Durham, School of Engineering and Computing Sciences (United Kingdom)

The phenomenon of anharmonic Bloch oscillations (i.e., oscillations with a frequency which is a multiple of the Bloch frequency) is considered. The energy-band structure of silicon-carbide polytypes where these oscillations are observed is calculated ab initio. A one-dimensional model potential making it possible to calculate the Stark wave functions in a biased superlattice is constructed for these polytypes. The transfer matrix method is used to find the set of energy levels (the so-called Stark ladder) and calculate the electron wave functions. It is shown that both radiative transitions between neighboring Stark levels (at the Bloch frequency) and transitions in the form of jumps via several levels, accompanied by emission at frequencies that are multiples of the Bloch frequency, may occur. The calculated probabilities of transitions between Stark-ladder levels increase with increasing applied field strength.

• OSTI ID: 22649670
• Journal Information: Semiconductors, Journal Name: Semiconductors Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 50; ISSN SMICES; ISSN 1063-7826
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
ELECTRONS
ENERGY LEVELS
OSCILLATIONS
POTENTIALS
SILICON CARBIDES
STARK EFFECT
SUPERLATTICES
TRANSFER MATRIX METHOD
WAVE FUNCTIONS