Chaotic dynamics in terahertz-driven semiconductors with negative effective mass

Abstract

We report on a detailed theoretical study of current self-oscillations and chaotic dynamics in negative effective mass ͑NEM͒ p ϩ pp ϩ diodes driven by dc and ac electric fields with a terahertz ͑THz͒ frequency. An ''N-shaped'' velocity-field relation is yielded by using the nonparabolic balance-equation theory with a realistic treatment of carrier scatterings by impurity, acoustic phonon, and optic phonon. The dependence of the self-oscillating mode and its frequency on the dc bias, doping concentration, and lattice temperature is examined in detail. The THz-driven p ϩ pp ϩ NEM diodes can produce a cooperative nonlinear oscillatory mode which leads to very complicated chaotic dynamics with the dc bias, ac amplitude, and ac frequency as the controlling parameters. The transitions between the periodic and chaotic states are carefully studied by different chaos-detecting methods, such as phase portrait, Poincaré bifurcation diagram, power spectrum, and first return map. The resulting power spectrum bifurcation diagram displays a very complicated mosaic structure with a self-similar emergence of high-order mixing frequencies.

Analysis of the extraordinary transmission properties of arrays of subwavelength holes on a metal film in the terahertz region

“…Recently, THz technology has made great progress due to the rapid development of radiation sources [5][6][7][8][9][10] and detectors [11], but THz waveguide propagation methods are also of importance to the development of THz technology [12][13][14]. Two-dimensional (2D) subwavelength apertures have been extensively investigated to develop THz waveguide components, such as photoconductive transmission lines, attenuators, polarizers, splitters, and filters [15][16][17][18][19].…”

Semiconductor terahertz oscillators and nonlinear dynamics

“…Terahertz (THz) optoelectronics have recently been the focus of intense study from both theoretical and experimental points of view [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The realization of compact solid state THz sources is especially desirable due to their potential applications in imaging, medicine, astronomy and many other fields.…”

“…The realization of compact solid state THz sources is especially desirable due to their potential applications in imaging, medicine, astronomy and many other fields. Different kinds of devices have been extensively investigated, among which are the THz quantum-cascade lasers [1][2][3][4], negative-effective-mass (NEM) THz oscillators [5][6][7], and the THz emitting submicron transistor [8]. Here, we study the electron selfoscillation and nonlinear dynamics based on the NEM mechanism.…”

Nonlinear dynamics in multisubband semiconductor quantum wells under terahertz radiation

“…Different schemes for coherent control of electron transitions and quantum well optical response have been explored [2]. Nonlinear behaviors in far-infrareddriven quantum wells have been studied [6][7][8][9][10]. All these above-mentioned works have a large band (subband) energy differences.…”