Detection of Bloch oscillations in a semiconductor superlattice by time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy and degenerate four-wave mixing

Abstract We have studied the spatial dynamics of coherently excited wave packets of charge carriers in a semiconductor superlattice structure by both time-resolved THz spectroscopy and degenerate four-wave mixing. In the Wannier-Stark bias regime, we observe electron Bloch oscillations with a frequency that depends linearly on the electric bias field and can be tuned between a few hundred GHz and 5 THz.

[1]  Kurz,et al.  Coherent submillimeter-wave emission from Bloch oscillations in a semiconductor superlattice. , 1993, Physical review letters.

[2]  F. Bloch.  Über die Quantenmechanik der Elektronen in Kristallgittern , 1929 .

[3]  Krieger,et al.  Time evolution of Bloch electrons in a homogeneous electric field. , 1986, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[4]  Mendez,et al.  Quantum coherence in semiconductor superlattices. , 1989, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[5]  F. Mollot,et al.  Coexistence of Wannier-Stark localization and negative differential velocity in superlattices , 1992 .

[6]  Fox,et al.  Coherent submillimeter-wave emission from charge oscillations in a double-well potential. , 1992, Physical review letters.

[7]  Leo,et al.  Coherent oscillations of a wave packet in a semiconductor double-quantum-well structure. , 1991, Physical review letters.

[8]  R. T. Phillips.  Coherent optical interactions in semiconductors , 1994 .

[9]  Leo,et al.  Subpicosecond four-wave mixing in GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs quantum wells. , 1991, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[10]  Sipe,et al.  Exciton Stark ladder in semiconductor superlattices. , 1991, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[11]  Mendez,et al.  Stark localization in GaAs-GaAlAs superlattices under an electric field. , 1988, Physical review letters.

[12]  Luo,et al.  Terahertz emission in single quantum wells after coherent optical excitation of light hole and heavy hole excitons. , 1992, Physical review letters.

[13]  David A. B. Miller,et al.  Optical investigation of Bloch oscillations in a semiconductor superlattice. , 1992 .

[14]  G. Bastard,et al.  Electric-field-induced localization and oscillatory electro-optical properties of semiconductor superlattices. , 1988, Physical review letters.

[15]  Karl Leo,et al.  Observation of Bloch oscillations in a semiconductor superlattice , 1992 .

[16]  P. Lugli,et al.  Spectroscopy of semiconductor microstructures , 1989 .

[17]  C. Zener.  A theory of the electrical breakdown of solid dielectrics , 1934 .

[18]  Raphael Tsu,et al.  Superlattice and negative differential conductivity in semiconductors , 1970 .

[19]  Wang,et al.  Observation of Esaki-Tsu negative differential velocity in GaAs/AlAs superlattices. , 1990, Physical review letters.