Current self-oscillations, spikes, and crossover between charge monopole and dipole waves in semiconductor superlattices

Abstract

Self-sustained current oscillations in weakly-coupled superlattices are studied by means of a self-consistent microscopic model of sequential tunneling including boundary conditions naturally. Well-to-well hopping and recycling of charge monopole domain walls produce current spikes (high frequency modulation) superimposed on the oscillation. For highly doped injecting contacts, the self-oscillations are due to dynamics of monopoles. As the contact doping decreases, a lower-frequency oscillatory mode due to recycling and motion of charge dipoles is predicted. For low contact doping, this mode dominates and monopole oscillations disappear. At intermediate doping, both oscillation modes coexist as stable solutions and hysteresis between them is possible.