Effects of a Perpendicularly Applied Magnetic Field on Harmonically Driven Quasi-two-dimensional Electron Gas: the Static Macrostates Symmetry Breaking and Generation of Even Harmonics in System Output

Abstract

In this paper, we consider activation processes in a nonlinear metastable system based on a quasi-two-dimensional superlattice and study the dynamics of such a system, which is externally driven by a harmonic force in regimes of controlled instabilities. The spontaneous transverse electric field is considered as an order parameter and the forced violations of the order parameter are considered as a response of a system to periodic driving. The internal control parameters are the longitudinal applied electric field, the sample temperature and the magnetic field which is orthogonal to the superlattice plane. We investigate the cooperative effects of self-organization and high harmonic forcing in such a system from the viewpoint of catastrophe theory It is shown through numerical simulations that the additional magnetic field breaks the static macrostates symmetry and leads to generation of even harmonics; it also allows the control of the intensity of particular harmonics. The intensity of even harmonics demonstrates resonant-type nonmonotonic dependence on control parameters with the maxima at points close to critical points of the synergetic potential.