S. S. Krishtopenko

Exchange enhancement of the g factor in InAs/AlSb heterostructures

The evolution of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in InAs/AlSb heterostructures with twodimensional electron gas in InAs quantum wells 12–18 nm wide with considerable variation in the electron concentration (3–8) × 1011 cm−2 due to the effect of negative persistent photoconductivity is studied. The values of the effective Landé factor for electrons g* = −(15–35) are determined. It is shown that the value of the g* factor increases as the quantum well width increases.

Cyclotron resonance study in InAs/AlSb quantum well heterostructures with two occupied electronic subbands

We report on the cyclotron resonance (CR) study in InAs/AlSb (001) quantum well (QW) heterostructures with two occupied electronic subbands. Experimental results are compared with the CR energy calculations in the self-consistent Hartree approximation. Our theoretical approach is based on the 8-band k · p Hamiltonian and takes into account the band nonparabolicity, lattice-mismatch deformation, and spin-orbit coupling. We find out a large splitting of CR line associated with a difference in cyclotron energies in the first and second electronic subbands. The results of CR study in InAs/AlSb QW heterostructures reveal pronounced effect of the “built-in” electric field on CR spectra in the samples with two occupied electronic subbands.

Electron-electron interaction and spin-orbit coupling in InAs/AlSb heterostructures with a two-dimensional electron gas

The effect of electron-electron interaction on the spectrum of two-dimensional electron states in InAs/AlSb (001) heterostructures with a GaSb cap layer with one filled size-quantization subband. The energy spectrum of two-dimensional electrons is calculated in the Hartree and Hartree-Fock approximations. It is shown that the exchange interaction decreasing the electron energy in subbands increases the energy gap between subbands and the spin-orbit splitting of the spectrum in the entire region of electron concentrations, at which only the lower size-quantization band is filled. The nonlinear dependence of the Rashba splitting constant at the Fermi wave vector on the concentration of two-dimensional electrons is demonstrated.

Phase transitions in two tunnel-coupled HgTe quantum wells: Bilayer graphene analogy and beyond.

HgTe quantum wells possess remarkable physical properties as for instance the quantum spin Hall state and the “single-valley” analog of graphene, depending on their layer thicknesses and barrier composition. However, double HgTe quantum wells yet contain more fascinating and still unrevealed features. Here we report on the study of the quantum phase transitions in tunnel-coupled HgTe layers separated by CdTe barrier. We demonstrate that this system has a 3/2 pseudo spin degree of freedom, which features a number of particular properties associated with the spin-dependent coupling between HgTe layers. We discover a specific metal phase arising in a wide range of HgTe and CdTe layer thicknesses, in which a gapless bulk and a pair of helical edge states coexist. This phase holds some properties of bilayer graphene such as an unconventional quantum Hall effect and an electrically-tunable band gap. In this “bilayer graphene” phase, electric field opens the band gap and drives the system into the quantum spin Hall state. Furthermore, we discover a new type of quantum phase transition arising from a mutual inversion between second electron- and hole-like subbands. This work paves the way towards novel materials based on multi-layered topological insulators.

Rashba spin splitting and exchange enhancement of the g factor in InAs/AlSb heterostructures with a two-dimensional electron gas

The exchange enhancement of the g factor of quasiparticles in InAs/AlSb heterostructures with a two-dimensional electron gas exhibiting Rashba spin splitting is investigated using the 8-band k · p Hamiltonian. It is shown that, in low magnetic fields, Rashba spin splitting yields a profound increase in the amplitude of oscillations of the quasiparticle g factor renormalized by exchange interaction. From analysis of Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations at the temperature 250 mK, the energy of Rashba splitting and the g factor of quasiparticles are determined. The values determined experimentally are in good agreement with the results of theoretical calculations carried out with consideration for the asymmetric built-in electric field in InAs/AlSb heterostructures.

Effect of electron-electron interaction on cyclotron resonance in high-mobility InAs/AlSb quantum wells

We report observation of electron-electron (e-e) interaction effect on cyclotron resonance (CR) in InAs/AlSb quantum well heterostructures. High mobility values allow us to observe strongly pronounced triple splitting of CR line at noninteger filling factors of Landau levels ν. At magnetic fields, corresponding to ν > 4, experimental values of CR energies are in good agreement with single-electron calculations on the basis of eight-band k ⋅ p Hamiltonian. In the range of filling factors 3 < ν < 4 pronounced, splitting of CR line, exceeding significantly the difference in single-electron CR energies, is discovered. The strength of the splitting increases when occupation of the partially filled Landau level tends to a half, being in qualitative agreement with previous prediction by MacDonald and Kallin [Phys. Rev. B 40, 5795 (1989)]. We demonstrate that such behaviour of CR modes can be quantitatively described if one takes into account both electron correlations and the mixing between conduction and valence bands in the calculations of matrix elements of e-e interaction.

Persistent photoconductivity in InAs/AlSb heterostructures with double quantum wells

Effects of persistent photoconductivity in InAs/AlSb heterostructures with the cap GaSb layer and two-dimensional electron gas in the InAs double quantum wells at T = 4.2 K are studied. From Fourier analysis of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, electron concentrations in each quantum well are determined at various wavelengths of illumination and pronounced asymmetry of the structure caused by the built-in electric field is demonstrated explicitly. The self-consistent calculations of the energy profile of the double quantum well are performed and the concentrations of ionized donors on both sides of the well are determined, which provided concretization of the previously suggested mechanism of bipolar persistent photoconductivity in such structures.

Features of the persistent photoconductivity in InAs/AlSb heterostructures with double quantum wells and a tunneling-transparent barrier

The spectra of persistent photoconductivity for InAs/AlSb heterostructures with double quantum wells and a separation AlSb barrier with varying thickness between 0.6–1.8 nm are measured at T = 4.2 K. The electron concentrations in the wells at various illumination wavelengths are determined from the Fourier analysis of Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. The features associated with the tunneling transparency of a separation barrier 0.6 nm thick (two monolayers) are revealed. The performed self-consistent calculations of the energy profile of a double quantum well showed that a symmetric profile is established in the structures in the region of negative residual photoconductivity, while the region of positive persistent photoconductivity has an asymmetric potential profile, which leads to Rashba spin splitting (>2 meV at the Fermi level). It is shown that the introduction of the tunneling-transparent separation barrier increases the Rashba splitting.

HgCdTe-based heterostructures for terahertz photonics

Due to their specific physical properties, HgCdTe-based heterostructures are expected to play an important role in terahertz photonic systems. Here, focusing on gated devices presenting inverted band ordering, we evidence an enhancement of the terahertz photoconductive response close to the charge neutrality point and at the magnetic field driven topological phase transition. We also show the ability of these heterostructures to be used as terahertz imagers. Regarding terahertz emitters, we present results on stimulated emission of HgCdTe heterostructures in their conventional semiconductor state above 30 THz, discussing the physical mechanisms involved and promising routes towards the 5–15 THz frequency domain.

Rashba spin splitting and cyclotron resonance in strained InGaAs/InP heterostructures with a two-dimensional electron gas

Cyclotron resonance and magnetic transport in InP/InGaAs/InP heterostructures with axially symmetric quantum wells are studied experimentally at 4.2 K. An increase in the cyclotron mass at the Fermi level from 0.047m0 to 0.057m0 with an increase in the concentration of two-dimensional electrons from 5.5 × 1011 to 2.1 × 1012 cm−3 is shown. The values of the Rashba spin splitting at the Fermi level are determined from Fourier analysis of the beats of Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. The obtained experimental data are compared with the theoretical results of self-consistent calculations of the energy spectrum and cyclotron masses of 2D electrons performed using the eight-band k · p Hamiltonian.