Theory of spatially inhomogneous Bloch oscillations in semiconductor superlattices

Abstract

In a semiconductor superlattice with long scattering times, damping of Bloch oscillations due to scattering is so small that nonlinearities may compensate it and Bloch oscillations persist even in the hydrodynamic regime. To demonstrate this, a Boltzmann-Poisson transport model of miniband superlattices with inelastic collisions is proposed and hydrodynamic equations for electron density, electric field and the complex amplitude of the Bloch oscillations are derived by singular perturbation methods. For appropriate parameter ranges, numerical solutions of these equations show stable Bloch oscillations with spatially inhomogeneous field, charge, current density and energy density profiles. These Bloch oscillations disappear as scattering times become sufficiently short. For sufficiently low lattice temperatures, Bloch and Gunn type oscillations mediated by electric field, current and energy domains coexist for a range of voltages. For larger lattice temperatures (300 K), there are only Bloch oscillations with stationary amplitude and electric field profiles.

42 pages, 4 figures, to appear in PRB

References in corpus (5)

• Terahertz Bloch oscillator with a modulated bias
• Generalized drift-diffusion model for miniband superlattices
• Self-sustained current oscillations in the kinetic theory of semiconductor superlattices
• Spatially confined Bloch oscillations in semiconductor superlattices
• Nonequilibrium free energy, H theorem and self-sustained oscillations for Boltzmann-BGK descriptions of semiconductor superlattices

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Electronic Bloch oscillation in bilayer graphene gradient superlattices
• Spin transition rates in nanowire superlattices: Rashba spin-orbit coupling effects
• Numerical method for hydrodynamic modulation equations describing Bloch oscillations in semiconductor superlattices
• Uncovering spatio-temporal patterns in semiconductor superlattices by efficient data processing tools
• Charge transport in a superlattice: a numerical study using moment methods