Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Multiple-frequency current oscillations in GaAs-AlGaAs quantum wells containing a thin semi-insulating layer

  • Mesoscopic Physics
  • Published:
The European Physical Journal B - Condensed Matter and Complex Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

We have investigated non-equilibrium electron transport properties of a quantum well with an inserted thin semi-insulating potential barrier layer in nonlinear bias using a time-dependent simulation technique. We find that the charge redistribution with time in the whole structure has an important effect on the final current-voltage (I-V) curves. The results show that there are two evident current hysteresis phenomena in the negative differential conductance regions and the inserted semi-insulating potential barrier layer induces the formation of multiple emitter quantum wells, which leads to high-frequency terahertz current oscillations with multiple-frequency relations around the valley of current.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • A.D. Martin, M.L.F. Lerch, P.E. Simmonds, L. Eaves, Appl. Phys. Lett. 64, 1248 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.K. Kawakami, E. Rotenberg, H.J. Choi, E.J. Escorcia-Aparicio, M.O. Bowen, J.H. Wholfe, E. Arenholz, Z.D. Zhang, N.V. Smith, Z.Q. Qiu, Nature 398, 132 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D. Grundler, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 6074 (2000)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • H.C. Liu, C.Y. Song, Z.R. Wasilewski et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 077402-1 (2003)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • D. Snoke, S. Denev, Y. Liu, L. Pfeiffer, K. West, Nature 418, 754 (2002)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • R. Gebauer, R. Car, Phys. Rev. B 70, 125324-1 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • N. Tansu, J.Y. Yeh, L.J. Mawst, Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, 2112 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T. Ohtsuka, L. Schrottke, R. Hey, H. Kostial, H.T. Grahn, J. Appl. Phys 94, 2192 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • H. Ikeda, M. Iwasaki, Y. Ishikawa, M. Tabe, Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, 1456 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Rosenauer, D. Gerthsen, D. Van Dyck, M. Arzberger, G. Böhm, G. Abstreiter, Phys. Rev. B 64, 245334 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • F. Pulizzi, E.E. Vdovin, K. Takehana, Yu.V. Dubrovskii, A. Patane, L. Eaves, M. Henini, P.N. Brunkov, G. Hill, Phys. Rev. B 68, 155315 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G.B. Galiev, V.E. Kaminskii, V.G. Mokerov, V.A. Kulbachinskii, R.A. Lunin, I.S. Vasilevskii, A.V. Derkach, Semiconductors 37, 686 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Z. Barticevic, P. Vargas, M. Pacheco, D. Altbir, Phys. Rev. B 68, 155306 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • P.M. Martin, S.A. Ahmad, F.W. Sheardt et al., Semicond. Sci. Technol. 9, 493 (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.J. Goldman, D.C. Tsui, J.E. Cunningham, Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1256 (1987)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • T.C.L.G. Sollner, Phys. Rev. Lett. 59, 1622 (1987)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • K.L. Jensen, F.A. Buot, Phys. Rev. Lett. 66, 1079 (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  • Peiji Zhao, H.L. Cui, D.L. Woolard, Phys. Rev. B 63, 075302 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P.C. Main, T.J. Foster, P. Medonnell, L. Eaves, M.J. Gompertz, N. Mori, J.W. Sakai, M. Henini, Phys. Rev. B 62, 16721 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. Roberts, Y.C. Chung, S. Lyapin, N.J. Mason, R.J. Nicholas, P.C. Klipstein, Phys. Rev. B 65, 235326 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L. Hirsch, A.S. Barriere, J. Appl. Phys 94, 5014 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G. Kim, D.W. Roh, S.W. Paek, Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, 695 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. Yu. Serov, G.G. Zegrya, Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 032108 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.P. Zaccaria, F. Rossi, Phys. Rev. B 67, 113311 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Z. Dai, J. Ni, Eur. Phys. J. B 45 129 (2005)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Atomic and Molecular Nanoscience, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, P.R. China

    Z. H. Dai & J. Ni

  2. Department of Physics, Yantai University, 264005, Yantai, P.R. China

    Z. H. Dai

Authors
  1. Z. H. Dai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. Ni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Z. H. Dai.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dai, Z., Ni, J. Multiple-frequency current oscillations in GaAs-AlGaAs quantum wells containing a thin semi-insulating layer. Eur. Phys. J. B 47, 443–447 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2005-00345-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2005-00345-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation