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Strong Amplification of Coherent Acoustic Phonons by Intraminiband Currents in a Semiconductor Superlattice

Keisuke Shinokita, Klaus Reimann, Michael Woerner, Thomas Elsaesser, Rudolf Hey, and Christos Flytzanis
Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 075504 – Published 18 February 2016
Physics logo See Synopsis: Pumping up the Sound

Abstract

Sound amplification in an electrically biased superlattice (SL) is studied in optical experiments with 100 fs time resolution. Coherent SL phonons with frequencies of 40, 375, and 410 GHz give rise to oscillatory reflectivity changes. With currents from 0.5 to 1.3 A, the Fourier amplitude of the 410 GHz phonon increases by more than a factor of 2 over a 200 ps period. This amplification is due to stimulated Čerenkov phonon emission by electrons undergoing intraminiband transport. The gain coefficient of 8×103cm1 is reproduced by theoretical calculations and holds potential for novel sub-THz phonon emitters.

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  • Received 13 November 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.075504

© 2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Synopsis

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Pumping up the Sound

Published 18 February 2016

An optical amplification scheme for sound can double the intensity of phonons traveling through a solid.

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Authors & Affiliations

Keisuke Shinokita1, Klaus Reimann1, Michael Woerner1, Thomas Elsaesser1, Rudolf Hey2, and Christos Flytzanis3

  • 1Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie, 12489 Berlin, Germany
  • 2Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, 10117 Berlin, Germany
  • 3Laboratoire Pierre Aigrain, École Normale Supérieure, 75231 Paris, France

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Issue

Vol. 116, Iss. 7 — 19 February 2016

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