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Electron ratchet effect in semiconductor devices and artificial materials with broken centrosymmetry

Song, Aimin LU (2002) In Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing 75(2). p.229-235
Abstract
Studies on nonlinear electron transport in nanometer-sized semiconductor devices with broken centrosymmetry are reviewed. In these devices, an applied alternating (rocking) electric field induces a net flow of electrons in the direction perpendicular to that of the applied field. Such an electron ratchet effect has been observed in a number of differently designed devices, fabricated from two types of semiconductor material systems. The functionality is interpreted with an extended Buttiker-Landauer formula. We show that the devices operate at both cryogenic and room temperatures and at frequencies up to at least 50 GHz. Based on a similar microscopic mechanism, we have also constructed, to the best of our knowledge, the first artificial... (More)
Studies on nonlinear electron transport in nanometer-sized semiconductor devices with broken centrosymmetry are reviewed. In these devices, an applied alternating (rocking) electric field induces a net flow of electrons in the direction perpendicular to that of the applied field. Such an electron ratchet effect has been observed in a number of differently designed devices, fabricated from two types of semiconductor material systems. The functionality is interpreted with an extended Buttiker-Landauer formula. We show that the devices operate at both cryogenic and room temperatures and at frequencies up to at least 50 GHz. Based on a similar microscopic mechanism, we have also constructed, to the best of our knowledge, the first artificial electronic nanomaterial that operates at room temperature. The promising possibilities for practical applications, such as rectification, microwave detection, second-harmonic generation, etc., are also discussed. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing
volume
75
issue
2
pages
229 - 235
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000175917400009
  • scopus:0036681082
ISSN
1432-0630
DOI
10.1007/s003390201334
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
69e62e53-ed42-48ac-9cd4-ce868f0a36bd (old id 336345)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:11:09
date last changed
2022-01-26 23:58:43
@article{69e62e53-ed42-48ac-9cd4-ce868f0a36bd,
  abstract     = {{Studies on nonlinear electron transport in nanometer-sized semiconductor devices with broken centrosymmetry are reviewed. In these devices, an applied alternating (rocking) electric field induces a net flow of electrons in the direction perpendicular to that of the applied field. Such an electron ratchet effect has been observed in a number of differently designed devices, fabricated from two types of semiconductor material systems. The functionality is interpreted with an extended Buttiker-Landauer formula. We show that the devices operate at both cryogenic and room temperatures and at frequencies up to at least 50 GHz. Based on a similar microscopic mechanism, we have also constructed, to the best of our knowledge, the first artificial electronic nanomaterial that operates at room temperature. The promising possibilities for practical applications, such as rectification, microwave detection, second-harmonic generation, etc., are also discussed.}},
  author       = {{Song, Aimin}},
  issn         = {{1432-0630}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{229--235}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing}},
  title        = {{Electron ratchet effect in semiconductor devices and artificial materials with broken centrosymmetry}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s003390201334}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s003390201334}},
  volume       = {{75}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}