Observation of optical phonon instability induced by drifting electrons in semiconductor nanostructures

Authors

W. Liang, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus
K. T. Tsen, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus
Otto F. Sankey, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus
S. M. Komirenko, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
K. W. Kim, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
V. A. Kochelap, Institute of Semiconductor Physics
Meng-Chyi Wu, National Tsinghua University
Chong-Long Ho, Telecommunication Laboratories
Wen-Jeng Ho, Telecommunication Laboratories
Hadis Morkoç, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Original Publication Date

2003

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Applied Physics Letters

Volume

82

Issue

12

DOI of Original Publication

10.1063/1.1563730

Comments

Originally published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1563730

Date of Submission

April 2015

Abstract

We have experimentally proven the Cerenkov generation of optical phonons by drifting electrons in a semiconductor. We observe an instability of the polar optical phonons in nanoscale semiconductors that occurs when electrons are accelerated to very high velocities by intense electric fields. The instability is observed when the electron drift velocity is larger than the phase velocity of optical phonons and rather resembles a “sonic boom” for optical phonons. The effect is demonstrated in p–i–nsemiconductor nanostructures by using subpicosecond Raman spectroscopy.

Rights

Liang, W., Tsen, K.T., Sankey, O.F., et al. Observation of optical phonon instability induced by drifting electrons in semiconductor nanostructures. Applied Physics Letters, 82, 1968 (2003). Copyright © 2003 AIP Publishing LLC.

Is Part Of

VCU Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications