Steady states of a microwave-irradiated quantum-Hall gas

Acoustoelectric Study of Microwave-Induced Current Domains

Surface acoustic waves (SAW) have been utilized to investigate the properties of a two-dimensional electron system subjected to a perpendicular magnetic field and monochromatic microwave radiation in the regime where the so-called microwave-induced zero-resistance states form. Contrary to conventional magnetotransport in Hall bar and van der Pauw geometries, the collimated SAW beam probes only the bulk of the electronic system exposed to this wave. Clear signatures appear in the SAW propagation velocity, corroborating that neither contacts nor sample edges are a root source for their emergence. By virtue of the directional nature of this probing method and with the assistance of theoretical modeling, we were able to demonstrate that the SAW response depends on the angle between its propagation vector and the orientation of domains that spontaneously form when zero-resistance is observed in transport. This confirms in unprecedented manner the formation of an inhomogeneous phase under these nonequilibrium conditions.

Photon-Assisted Perfect Conductivity Between Arrays of Two-Level Atoms

We investigate interactions between two (parallel) arrays of two-level atoms (2LA) via photons through quantum electrodynamical interaction with one array (the source array) connected to a particle source, and we study the (photo-)resistivity of the other array (the measured array). The wave function of the interacted photon propagating in an array is a Bloch wave with a gap in its eigenvalue (the photonic dispersion). Due to interactions between arrayed 2LA and the dressed photonic field with non-linear dispersion, the conduction behaviors of the measured array can be very diversified according to the input energy of the particle source connected to the source array, and their relative positions. As a result, the resistivity of the measured array can be zero or negative, and can also be oscillatory with respect to the incoming energy of the particle source of the source array, and the separation between arrays.

B-periodic oscillations in the Hall-resistance induced by a dc-current-bias under combined microwave-excitation and dc-current bias in the GaAs/AlGaAs 2D system

We report the observation of dc-current-bias-induced B-periodic Hall resistance oscillations and Hall plateaus in the GaAs/AlGaAs 2D system under combined microwave radiation- and dc bias excitation at liquid helium temperatures. The Hall resistance oscillations and plateaus appear together with concomitant oscillations also in the diagonal magnetoresistance. The periods of Hall and diagonal resistance oscillations are nearly identical, and source power (P) dependent measurements demonstrate sub-linear relationship of the oscillation amplitude with P over the span 0 < P ≤ 20 mW.

Nonlinear Conductivity and Collective Charge Excitations in the Lowest Landau Level

For weakly disordered fractional quantum Hall phases, the nonlinear photoconductivity is related to the charge susceptibility of the clean system by a Floquet boost. Thus, it may be possible to probe collective charge modes at finite wave vectors by electrical transport. Incompressible phases, irradiated at slightly above the magnetoroton gap, are predicted to exhibit negative photoconductivity and zero resistance states with spontaneous internal electric fields. Nonlinear conductivity can probe composite fermions' charge excitations in compressible filling factors.

Dressed Photons Induced Resistance Oscillation and Zero Resistance in Arrayed Simple Harmonic Oscillators with No Impurity

We investigate a system of an array of N simple harmonic oscillators (SHO) interacting with photons through QED interaction. As the energy of photon is around the spacing between SHO energy levels, energy gaps appear in the dispersion relation of the interacted (dressed) photons. This is quite different from the dispersion relation of free photons. Due to interactions between dressed photonic field and arrayed SHO, the photoresistance of this system shows oscillations and also drops to zero as irradiated by EM field of varying frequencies.

Random flips of electric field in microwave-induced states with spontaneously broken symmetry

In a two-dimensional electron system subject to microwaves and a magnetic field, photovoltages emerge. They can be separated into two components originating from built-in electric fields and electric field domains arising from spontaneous symmetry breaking. The latter occurs in the zero resistance regime only and manifests itself in pulsed behavior, synchronous across the sample. The pulses show sign reversal. This implies a flip of the field in each domain, consistent with the existence of two equally probable electric field domain configurations due to the spontaneous symmetry breaking.

Magneto-transport characteristics of a 2D electron system driven to negative magneto-conductivity by microwave photoexcitation

Negative diagonal magneto-conductivity/resistivity is a spectacular- and thought provoking-property of driven, far-from-equilibrium, low dimensional electronic systems. The physical response of this exotic electronic state is not yet fully understood since it is rarely encountered in experiment. The microwave-radiation-induced zero-resistance state in the high mobility GaAs/AlGaAs 2D electron system is believed to be an example where negative magneto-conductivity/resistivity is responsible for the observed phenomena. Here, we examine the magneto-transport characteristics of this negative conductivity/resistivity state in the microwave photo-excited two-dimensional electron system (2DES) through a numerical solution of the associated boundary value problem. The results suggest, surprisingly, that a bare negative diagonal conductivity/resistivity state in the 2DES under photo-excitation should yield a positive diagonal resistance, with a concomitant sign reversal in the Hall voltage.

Emergence of domains and nonlinear transport in the zero-resistance state

We study transport in the domain state, the so-called zero-resistance state, that emerges in a two-dimensional electron system in which the combined action of microwave radiation and magnetic field produces a negative absolute conductivity. We show that the voltage-biased system has a rich phase diagram in the system size and voltage plane, with second- and first-order transitions between the domain and homogeneous states for small and large voltages, respectively. We find the residual negative dissipative resistance in the stable domain state.

Nonlinear magnetoresistance oscillations in intensely irradiated two-dimensional electron systems induced by multiphoton processes

We report on magneto-oscillations in differential resistivity of a two-dimensional electron system subject to intense microwave radiation. The period of these oscillations is determined not only by microwave frequency but also by its intensity. A theoretical model based on quantum kinetics at high microwave power captures all important characteristics of this phenomenon which is strongly nonlinear in microwave intensity. Our results demonstrate a crucial role of the multiphoton processes near the cyclotron resonance and its harmonics in the presence of strong dc electric field and offer a unique way to reliably determine the intensity of microwaves acting on electrons.

Phonon-induced resistance oscillations in 2D systems with a very high electron mobility

We report on the temperature dependence of acoustic-phonon-induced resistance oscillations in very-high mobility two-dimensional electron systems. We observe that the temperature dependence is nonmonotonic and that higher order oscillations are best developed at progressively lower temperatures. Our analysis shows that, in contrast with the Shubnikov-de Haas effect, phonon-induced resistance oscillations are sensitive to electron-electron interactions modifying the single particle lifetime.

Temperature dependence of microwave photoresistance in 2D electron systems

We report on the temperature dependence of microwave-induced resistance oscillations in high-mobility two-dimensional electron systems. We find that the oscillation amplitude decays exponentially with increasing temperature, as exp(-alphaT;{2}), where alpha scales with the inverse magnetic field. This observation indicates that the temperature dependence originates primarily from the modification of the single particle lifetime, which we attribute to electron-electron interaction effects.

Photocurrent and photovoltage oscillations in the two-dimensional electron system: enhancement and suppression of built-in electric fields

We observe microwave-induced photocurrent and photovoltage oscillations around zero as a function of the applied magnetic field in high mobility GaAs 2D electron systems. The photosignals pass zero whenever the microwave frequency is close to a multiple of the cyclotron resonance frequency. They originate from built-in electric fields due to for instance band bending at contacts. The oscillations correspond to a suppression (screening) or an enhancement ("antiscreening") of these fields by the photoexcited electrons.

Microwave photoresistance in dc-driven 2D systems at cyclotron resonance subharmonics

We study microwave photoresistivity oscillations in a high-mobility two-dimensional electron system subject to strong dc electric fields. We find that near the second subharmonic of the cyclotron resonance the frequency of the resistivity oscillations with a dc electric field is twice the frequency of the oscillations at the cyclotron resonance, its harmonics, or in the absence of microwave radiation. This observation is discussed in terms of the microwave-induced sidebands in the density of states and the interplay between different scattering processes in the separated Landau level regime.

Resonant phonon scattering in quantum Hall systems driven by dc electric fields

Using dc excitation to spatially tilt Landau levels, we study resonant acoustic phonon scattering in two-dimensional electron systems. We observe that dc electric field strongly modifies phonon resonances, transforming resistance maxima into minima and back into maxima. Further, phonon resonances are enhanced dramatically in the nonlinear dc response and can be detected even at low temperatures. Most of our observations can be explained in terms of dc-induced (de)tuning of the resonant acoustic phonon scattering and its interplay with inter-Landau level impurity scattering. Finally, we observe a resistance maximum when the electron drift velocity approaches the speed of sound and a dc-induced zero-differential resistance state.

Zero-differential resistance state of two-dimensional electron systems in strong magnetic fields

We report the observation of a zero-differential resistance state (ZDRS) in response to a direct current above a threshold value I>I th applied to a two-dimensional system of electrons at low temperatures in a strong magnetic field. Entry into the ZDRS, which is not observable above several Kelvins, is accompanied by a sharp dip in the differential resistance. Additional analysis reveals an instability of the electrons for I>I th and an inhomogeneous, nonstationary pattern of the electric current. We suggest that the dominant mechanism leading to the new electron state is a redistribution of electrons in energy space induced by the direct current.

Resistance oscillations in two-dimensional electron systems induced by both ac and dc fields

We report on magnetotransport measurements in a high-mobility two-dimensional electron system subject simultaneously to ac (microwave) and dc (Hall) fields. We find that dc excitation affects microwave photoresistance in a nontrivial way. Photoresistance maxima (minima) evolve into minima (maxima) and back, reflecting strong coupling and interplay of ac- and dc-induced effects. Most of our observations can be explained in terms of indirect electron transitions using a new, combined resonant condition. Observed quenching of microwave-induced zero resistance by a dc field cannot be unambiguously linked to a domain model, at least before a systematic theory treating both excitation types within a single framework is developed.

Circular-polarization-dependent study of the microwave photoconductivity in a two-dimensional electron system

The polarization dependence of the low field microwave photoconductivity and absorption of a two-dimensional electron system has been investigated in a quasioptical setup in which linear and any circular polarization can be produced in situ. The microwave induced resistance oscillations and the zero resistance regions are notably immune to the sense of circular polarization. This observation is discrepant with a number of proposed theories. Deviations between different polarizations occur only near the cyclotron resonance where an unprecedented large resistance response is observed.