Exciton Gas Research Articles

Spatially Resolved Thermodynamics of the Partially Ionized Exciton Gas in GaAs.

We report on the observation of macroscopic free exciton photoluminescence (PL) rings that appear in spatially resolved PL images obtained on a high purity GaAs sample. We demonstrate that a spatial temperature gradient in the photocarrier system, which is due to nonresonant optical excitation, locally modifies the population balance between free excitons and the uncorrelated electron-hole plasma described by the Saha equation and accounts for the experimentally observed nontrivial PL profiles. The exciton ring formation is a particularly instructive manifestation of the spatially dependent thermodynamics of a partially ionized exciton gas in a bulk semiconductor.

Rayleigh surface wave interaction with the 2D exciton Bose-Einstein condensate

We describe the interaction of a Rayleigh surface acoustic wave (SAW) traveling on the semiconductor substrate with the excitonic gas in a double quantum well located on the substrate surface. We study the SAW attenuation and its velocity renormalization due to the coupling to excitons. Both the deformation potential and piezoelectric mechanisms of the SAW-exciton interaction are considered. We focus on the frequency and excitonic density dependences of the SAW absorption coefficient and velocity renormalization at temperatures both above and well below the critical temperature of Bose-Einstein condensation of the excitonic gas. We demonstrate that the SAW attenuation and velocity renormalization are strongly different below and above the critical temperature.

Physical model of the vapor-liquid (insulator-metal) transition in an exciton gas

We propose a simple physical model describing the transition of an exciton gas to a conducting exciton liquid. The transition occurs due to cohesive coupling of excitons in the vicinity of the critical point, which is associated with transformation of the exciton ground state to the conduction band and the emergence of conduction electrons. We calculate the cohesion binding energy for the exciton gas and, using it, derive the equations of state, critical parameters, and binodal. The computational method is analogous to that used by us earlier [5] for predicting the vapor-liquid (insulator-metal) phase transition in atomic (hypothetical, free of molecules) hydrogen and alkali metal vapors. The similarity of the methods used for hydrogen and excitons makes it possible to clarify the physical nature of the transition in the exciton gas and to predict more confidently the existence of a new phase transition in atomic hydrogen.

Adiabatic preparation of a cold exciton condensate

We propose a scheme for the controllable preparation of a cold indirect exciton condensate using dipolaritonic setup with an optical pumping. Dipolaritons are bosonic quasiparticles which arise from the coupling between cavity photon (C), direct exciton (DX), and indirect exciton (IX) modes, and appear in a double quantum well embedded in a semiconductor microcavity. Controlling the detuning between modes of the system, the limiting cases of exciton-polaritons and indirect excitons can be realized. Our protocol relies on the initial preparation of an exciton polariton condensate for the far blue-detuned IX mode, with its subsequent adiabatic transformation to an indirect exciton condensate by lowering IX energy via applied electric field. The following allows for generation of a spatially localized cold exciton gas, on the contrary to currently used methods, where IX cloud appears due to diffusion of carriers from spatially separated electron- and hole-rich areas.

Effect of exciton dragging by a surface acoustic wave

We present the theory of the effect of exciton dragging by a Rayleigh surface acoustic wave at temperatures above the condensation temperature of the exciton gas and at zero temperature, where the effects of the Bose-Einstein condensation of the exciton gas are most pronounced. The magnitude of the acoustic drag flux in the exciton gas at high temperatures has been calculated taking into account the exciton-exciton interaction. It has been shown that the drag flux at typical experimental parameters (at a given intensity of the surface acoustic wave (SAW)) is independent of the frequency of the acoustic wave, whereas the interaction between excitons leads to screening of the SAW-induced perturbation, which results in an exponentially fast decrease in the drag flux with an increase in the exciton density. At low temperatures, in the presence of a condensate, the drag flux of condensate particles exhibits a resonance character when the velocity of Bogoliubov excitations approaches the velocity of the acoustic wave and the magnitude of the flux is linear in the SAW frequency. The drag flux of the above-condensate particles has a threshold character: the above-condensate particles are dragged by the wave at a velocity of the acoustic wave higher than the bogolon velocity. The magnitude of the above-condensate flux is inversely proportional to the SAW frequency.

Hetero-pairing and pseudogap phenomena in an ultracold Fermi gas with mass imbalance

We investigate strong-coupling properties of a unitary Fermi gas consisting of two different species with different masses. Including pairing fluctuations within the self-consistent T-matrix approximation, we calculate the single-particle density of states in the normal state. We show that the pseudogap phenomenon, which is characterized by a dip structure in the density of states around ω = 0, appears more remarkably in the light mass component than in the heavy mass component. As a result, the pseudogap temperature, which is determined as the temperature at which the pseudogap disappears in the density of states, is higher in the former than in the latter. We also find that this different pseudogap temperatures lead to the existence of two kinds of pseudogap regions. That is, one is the ordinary pseudogap regime where the pseudogap appears in both the component, and the other case is that the light mass component only exhibits the pseudogap phenomenon. As the origin of these component- dependent pseudogap phenomena, we point out the importance of different Fermi temperatures between the two components. Since the formation of hetero-Cooper pairs and their condensation are expected in various systems, such as a 6Li-40K Fermi gas mixture, an exciton (polariton) gas, as well as color superconductivity, our results would be useful for the understanding of strong-coupling properties of these novel Fermi condensates.

High-temperature Mott transition in wide-band-gap semiconductor quantum wells

The crossover from an exciton gas to an electron-hole plasma is studied in a GaN/(Al,Ga)N single quantum well by means of combined time-resolved and continuous-wave photoluminescence measurements. The two-dimensional Mott transition is found to be of continuous type and to be accompanied by a characteristic modification of the quantum well emission spectrum. Beyond the critical density, the latter is strongly influenced by band-gap renormalization and Fermi filling of continuum states. Owing to the large binding energy of excitons in III-nitride heterostructures, their injection-induced dissociation could be tracked over a wide range of temperatures, i.e., from 4 to 150K. Various criteria defining the Mott transition are examined, which, however, do not lead to any clear trend with rising temperature: the critical carrier density remains invariant around 1012cm−2.

Superradiance of a degenerate exciton gas in semiconductors with indirect fundamental absorption edge

It is predicted that superradiant states can be formed in a degenerate exciton gas in a semiconductor with an indirect fundamental absorption edge. The superradiance results from four-particle recombination processes and occurs at photon energies approximately twice as high as the band gap energy. Experimental results supporting the possibility of the observation of superradiance from SiGe/Si quantum wells are presented.

Biexcitonic molecules survive excitons at the Mott transition.

When the carrier density is increased in a semiconductor, according to the predictions of Sir Nevil Mott, a transition should occur from an insulating state consisting of a gas of excitons to a conductive electron-hole plasma. This crossover, usually referred to as the Mott transition, is driven by the mutual effects of phase-space filling and Coulomb screening because of the presence of other charges nearby. It drastically affects the optical and electrical characteristics of semiconductors and may, for example, drive the transition from a polariton laser to a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser. Usually, the possible existence of excitonic molecules (or biexcitons) is neglected in the understanding of the Mott transition because the biexciton is supposed to be less robust against screening effects. Here, against common beliefs, we observe that the biexciton in a GaN quantum well is more stable towards the Mott transition than the exciton.

Roton-maxon spectrum and instability for weakly interacting dipolar excitons in a semiconductor layer

The formation of the roton-maxon excitation spectrum and the roton instability effect for a weakly correlated Bose gas of dipolar excitons in a semiconductor layer are predicted. The stability diagram is calculated. According to our numerical estimations, the threshold of the roton instability for Bose-Einstein condensed exciton gas with roton-maxon spectrum is achievable experimentally, e.g., in GaAs semiconductor layers.

Modeling of the thermalization of trapped paraexcitons inCu2Oat ultralow temperatures

We theoretically analyze the relaxation of paraexcitons in cuprous oxide due to exciton-phonon and exciton-exciton scattering. Particular attention is paid to the evolution of the distribution function as well as to the cooling process of the exciton gas. The results underline the importance of interexcitonic collisions at moderate and higher densities which prevent the formation of the typical bottleneck and accelerate the thermalization at ultralow temperatures significantly. Furthermore, we discuss the impact of strain on the exciton-phonon coupling and show that the overall cooling process of the excitons benefits from strain induced effects. However, for very low lattice temperatures ($T\ensuremath{\ll}1.0\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$), the process of thermalization is slow, and the excitons might not reach the lattice temperature within their finite lifetime.

Exciton–Mott Physics in Two-Dimensional Electron–Hole Systems: Phase Diagram and Single-Particle Spectra

Exciton Mott physics in two-dimensional electron-hole (e-h) systems is studied in the quasiequilibrium, which is the crossovers or phase transitions between the insulating exciton gas and the metallic e-h plasma. By developing a self-consistent screened T-matrix approximation, we succeed in obtaining the "global" phase diagram on the plane of the e-h density and the temperature as a contour plot of the exciton ionization ratio. The detailed features of the exciton-Mott crossover at high temperature are figured out beyond the conventionally used concept of the Mott density. At low temperature, we find not only the region unstable toward the inhomogeneity but the pure Mott transition point characterized by the discontinuity in the ionization ratio. The single particle spectra also exhibit interesting features reflecting the excitonic correlations.

High-temperature superfluidity with indirect excitons in van der Waals heterostructures.

All known superfluid and superconducting states of condensed matter are enabled by composite bosons (atoms, molecules and Cooper pairs) made of an even number of fermions. Temperatures where such macroscopic quantum phenomena occur are limited by the lesser of the binding energy and the degeneracy temperature of the bosons. High-critical temperature cuprate superconductors set the present record of ~100 K. Here we propose a design for artificially structured materials to rival this record. The main elements of the structure are two monolayers of a transition metal dichalcogenide separated by an atomically thin spacer. Electrons and holes generated in the system would accumulate in the opposite monolayers and form bosonic bound states--the indirect excitons. The resultant degenerate Bose gas of indirect excitons would exhibit macroscopic occupation of a quantum state and vanishing viscosity at high temperatures.

Response of a Bose-Einstein condensate of dipole excitons to static and dynamic perturbations

Studies of the interaction of a Bose-Einstein condensate of two-dimensional spatially indirect excitons with the static fields of impurities, surface acoustic waves, and elementary excitations of a degenerate electron gas have been reviewed. The effects of screening of charged impurities and absorption of a Bleustein-Gulyaev surface acoustic wave by an exciton condensate have been considered. Friedel oscillations of the exciton density in a hybrid electron-exciton system, which consists of spatially separated layers of condensed exciton gas and degenerate electron gas, have been studied. The lifetimes of quasiparticle excitations (electrons, plasmons, and bogolons) in the hybrid system have been calculated. The contributions to the effects under study from condensate and above-condensate particles have been determined. The properties of an excitonic insulator have been analyzed within the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer model with a built-in dissipation-free current.

Evidence for a Bose-Einstein condensate of excitons

We report compelling evidence for a “gray” condensate of dipolar excitons, electrically polarised in a 25 nm wide GaAs quantum well. The condensate is composed by a macroscopic population of dark excitons coherently coupled to a lower population of bright excitons. To create the exciton condensate we use an all-optical approach in order to produce microscopic traps which confine a dense exciton gas that yet exhibits an anomalously weak photoemission at sub-kelvin temperatures. This is the first fingerprint for the “gray” condensate. It is then confirmed by the macroscopic spatial coherence and the linear polarization of the weak excitonic photoluminescence emitted from the trap, as theoretically predicted.

Selective generation of ultracold high-density 1s orthoexcitons in Cu_2O with phase-modulated pulse using acousto-optic programmable filter

Ultracold and high-density 1s orthoexcitons in semiconductor cuprous oxide are prepared via resonant two-photon absorption of a phase-tailored femtosecond pulse, by utilizing an acousto-optic programmable dispersive filter. The stability of the quantum degenerate exciton gas is studied using excitonic Lyman spectroscopy. A density of 10(16) cm(-3) is realized without creating hot carriers, and the Lyman spectrum remains unchanged at this density. This result assures the stability of a spontaneous Bose-Einstein condensate of excitons at sub-Kelvin temperatures.

Scale Invariance and Universality in a Cold Gas of Indirect Excitons

We address, theoretically, the puzzling similarity observed in the thermodynamic behavior of independent clouds of cold dipolar excitons in coupled semiconductor quantum wells. We argue that the condensation of self-trapped exciton gas starts at the same critical temperature in all traps due to the specific scaling rule. As a consequence of the reduced dimensionality of the system, the scaling parameters appear to be insensitive to disorder.

Amplification and passing through the barrier of the exciton condensed phase pulse in double quantum wells

The peculiarities and the possibility of a control of exciton condensed pulse movement in semiconductor double quantum wells under the slot in the metal electrode are studied. The condensed phase has been considered phenomenologically with the free energy in Landau–Ginzburg form taking into account the finite value of the exciton lifetime. It was shown that the exciton condensed phase pulse moves along the slot driven by an external linear potential. If the exciton density is high enough for the formation of the condensed phase then the pulse moves maintaining a constant value of a maximum density during exciton lifetime, while the exciton gas phase pulse diffuses. The penetration of the exciton condensed phase pulse through a barrier and its stopping by the barrier have been studied. Additionally, it was shown that the exciton pulse in the condensed phase can be amplified and recovered after damping by an additional laser pulse. Solutions for the system of excitons in double quantum wells under the slot in the electrode under steady irradiation in the form of bright and dark autosolitons were found.

Ballistic spin transport in exciton gases

Traditional spintronics relies on spin transport by charge carriers, such as electrons in semiconductor crystals. This brings several complications: the Pauli principle prevents the carriers from moving with the same speed; Coulomb repulsion leads to rapid dephasing of electron flows. Spin-optronics is a valuable alternative to traditional spintronics. In spin-optronic devices the spin currents are carried by electrically neutral bosonic quasi-particles: excitons or exciton-polaritons. They can form highly coherent quantum liquids and carry spins over macroscopic distances. The price to pay is a finite life-time of the bosonic spin carriers. We present the theory of exciton ballistic spin transport which may be applied to a range of systems where bosonic spin transport has been reported, in particular, to indirect excitons in coupled GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells. We describe the effect of spin-orbit interaction of electrons and holes on the exciton spin, account for the Zeeman effect induced by external magnetic fields, long range and short range exchange splittings of the exciton resonances. We also consider exciton transport in the non-linear regime and discuss the definitions of exciton spin current, polarization current and spin conductivity.

Dynamics of the phase transitions in the system of nonequilibrium charge carriers in quantum-dimensional Si1 − x Ge x /Si structures

The dynamics of the phase transition from an electron-hole plasma to an exciton gas is studied during pulsed excitation of heterostructures with Si1 − xGex/Si quantum wells. The scenario of the phase transition is shown to depend radically on the germanium content in the Si1 − xGex layer. The electron-hole system decomposes into a rarefied exciton and a dense plasma phases for quantum wells with a germanium content x = 3.5% in the time range 100–500 ns after an excitation pulse. In this case, the electron-hole plasma existing in quantum wells has all signs of an electron-hole liquid. A qualitatively different picture of the phase transition is observed for quantum wells with x = 9.5%, where no separation into phases with different electronic spectra is detected. The carrier recombination in the electron-hole plasma leads a gradual weakening of screening and the appearance of exciton states. For a germanium content of 5–7%, the scenario of the phase transition is complex: 20–250 ns after an excitation pulse, the properties of the electron-hole system are described in terms of a homogeneous electron-hole plasma, whereas its separation into an electron-hole liquid and an exciton gas is detected after 350 ns. It is shown that, for the electron-hole liquid to exist in quantum wells with x = 5–7% Ge, the exciton gas should have a substantially higher density than in quantum wells with x = 3.5% Ge. This finding agrees with a decrease in the depth of the local minimum of the electron-hole plasma energy with increasing germanium concentration in the SiGe layer. An increase in the density of the exciton gas coexisting with the electron-hole liquid is shown to enhance the role of multiparticle states, which are likely to be represented by trions T+ and biexcitons, in the exciton gas.