Resonance of terahertz phonons in an acoustic nanocavity

S. Sandeep, S. L. Heywood, R. P. Campion, A. J. Kent, and R. N. Kini

Phys. Rev. B 98, 235303 – Published 21 December 2018

Abstract

We show the resonant behavior of ∼0.5-THz longitudinal acoustic (LA) phonons in an acoustic nanocavity of thickness ∼28 nm sandwiched between two GaAs/AlAs superlattices (SLs). One of the SLs, upon excitation with an ultrafast optical pulse, acts as a source of coherent LA phonons. These phonons, generated outside the cavity, resonantly drive the cavity mode. The phonon dynamics can be modeled using a driven-damped harmonic oscillator. The confinement and enhancement of phonons in the acoustic nanocavity opens up possibilities in the field of nanophononics.

Received 14 September 2018
Revised 27 November 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.98.235303

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Acoustic phonons Electron-phonon coupling Ultrasonics

III-V semiconductors Quantum cavities Quantum harmonic oscillator Superlattices

Ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy Ultrasound techniques

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

S. Sandeep¹, S. L. Heywood², R. P. Campion², A. J. Kent², and R. N. Kini^1,*

¹School of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER-TVM), Vithura, Maruthamala Post Office, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695551, India
²School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom

^*rajeevkini@iisertvm.ac.in

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Vol. 98, Iss. 23 — 15 December 2018

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