Sasers: resonant transitions in narrow-gap semiconductors and in exciton system in coupled quantum wells

Abstract

Two schemes for steady stimulated phonon generation (saser, i.e., phonon laser) are proposed. The first scheme exploits a narrow-gap indirect semiconductor or analogous indirect gap semiconductor heterostructure where the tuning into resonance of one-phonon transition of electron–hole recombination can be carried out by external pressure, magnetic or electric fields. The second scheme uses one-phonon transition between direct and indirect exciton levels in coupled quantum wells. The tuning into the resonance of this transition can be accomplished by engineering of dispersion of indirect exciton by external in-plane magnetic and normal electric fields. In the second scheme the magnitude of phonon wave vector is determined by magnitude of in-plane magnetic field and, therefore, such a saser is tunable. Both schemes are analyzed and estimated numerically.