Bloch oscillations in a semiconductor superlattice shifting from capacitive to conductive responses with electric-field-induced interminiband mixing

T Takeya Unuma (Department of Electrical, Electronics and Information Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology 1 , 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188,) K Keita Okada (Department of Electrical, Electronics and Information Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology 1 , 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188,) K Kosuke Ueda (Department of Electrical, Electronics and Information Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology 1 , 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188,) N Nobuko Hino (Department of Electrical, Electronics and Information Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology 1 , 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188,) N Naomi Nagai (Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo 2 , 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505,) K Kazuhiko Hirakawa (Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo 2 , 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505,)

Abstract

We investigate the initial phase of Bloch oscillations in a GaAs-based superlattice designed for fine bias control of interminiband mixing. The type of oscillation current, determined from terahertz emission with the time origin (t=0), is found to shift gradually from damped cos ωBt to damped sin ωBt (ωB/2π: Bloch frequency) as the dc bias electric field is increased. This demonstrates a continuous transition between the capacitive and conductive responses, which have been previously reported in the two regimes where electron wavefunctions are Wannier–Stark localized within a nearly isolated miniband and delocalized by substantial interminiband mixing, respectively.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 129, Issue 4
Published July 27, 2026
ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Applied Physics Letters

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0003-6951 Physical Sciences

Authors (6)

T

Takeya Unuma

Department of Electrical, Electronics and Information Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology 1 , 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188,

K

Keita Okada

Department of Electrical, Electronics and Information Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology 1 , 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188,

K

Kosuke Ueda

Department of Electrical, Electronics and Information Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology 1 , 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188,

N

Nobuko Hino

Department of Electrical, Electronics and Information Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology 1 , 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188,

N

Naomi Nagai

Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo 2 , 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505,

K

Kazuhiko Hirakawa

Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo 2 , 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505,