arXiv subjects

Z. D. Kvon

Publications and source records attributed to Z. D. Kvon.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Spectral maximum in the terahertz photoconductance of a quantum point contact

The disappearance of the giant terahertz photoconductance of a quantum point contact under the increase in the photon energy, which was discovered experimentally (Otteneder et al., Phys. Rev. Applied 10 (2018) 014015) and studied by the numerical calculations of the photon-stimulated transport (O.A. Tkachenko et al., JETP Lett. 108 (2018) 396), is explained by the momentum conservation upon absorption of photons by tunneling electrons and on the base of perturbation theory calculations.

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arXiv2022

Demonstration of high sensitivity of microwave-induced resistance oscillations to circular polarization

We demonstrate that long-debated immunity of microwave-induced resistance oscillations (MIRO) to the sense of circular polarization is not a generic property of this phenomenon in solid-state two-dimensional electron systems. Using a large-area GaAs-based heterostructure we detect up to 30 times larger MIRO signal for the cyclotron resonance (CR) active helicity, fully consistent with the concurrently measured transmission and the deduced CR shape of the Drude absorption. We further elaborate conditions to avoid extrinsic factors capable of producing an apparent immunity of the photoresponse.

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arXiv2022

Quantum transport of Dirac fermions in HgTe gapless quantum wells

We study transport properties of HgTe quantum wells with critical well thickness, where the band gap is closed, and the low energy spectrum is described by a single Dirac cone. In this work, we examined both macroscopic and micron-sized (mesocopic) samples. In micron-sized samples, we observe a magnetic field induced, quantized resistance ($\sim h/2e^{2}$) at Landau filling factor $ν=0$, corresponding to the formation of helical edge states centered at the charge neutrality point (CNP). In macroscopic samples, the resistance near zero Landau level (LL) reveals strong oscillations, which we attribute to scattering between the edge $ν=0$ state and bulk $ν\neq 0$ hole LL. We provide a model taking an empirical approach to construct a LL diagram based on a reservoir scenario, formed by the heavy holes.

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arXiv2021

Thermoelectric transport in a three-dimensional HgTe topological insulator

The thermoelectric response of 80-nm-thick strained HgTe films of a three-dimensional topological insulator (3D TI) has been studied experimentally. An ambipolar thermopower is observed where the Fermi energy moves from conducting to the valence bulk band. The comparison between theory and experiment shows that the thermopower is mostly due to the phonon drag contribution. In the region where the 2D Dirac electrons coexist with bulk hole states, the Seebeck coefficient is modified due to 2D electron - 3D hole scattering.

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arXiv2021

Transport through the network of topological channels in HgTe based quantum well

Topological insulators represent a new quantum state of matter which is characterized by edge or surface states and an insulating band gap in the bulk. In a two dimensional (2D) system based on the HgTe quantum well (QW) of critical width random deviations of the well width from its average value result in local crossovers from zero gap 2D Dirac fermion system to either the 2D topological insulator or the ordinary insulator, forming a complicated in-plane network of helical channels along the zero-gap lines. We have studied experimentally the transport properties of the critical width HgTe quantum wells near the Dirac point, where the conductance is determined by a percolation along the zero-gap lines. The experimental results confirm the presence of percolating conducting channels of a finite width. Our work establishes the critical width HgTe QW as a promising platform for the study of the interplay between topology and localization.

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arXiv2021

Highly Superlinear Giant Terahertz Photoconductance in GaAs Quantum Point Contacts in the Deep Tunneling Regime

A highly superlinear in radiation intensity photoconductance induced by terahertz laser radiation with moderate intensities has been observed in quantum point contacts made of GaAs quantum wells operating in the deep tunneling regime. For very low values of the normalized dark conductance $G_{\rm dark}/ G_0 \approx 10^{-6}$, with the conductance quantum $G_0=2e^2/h$, the photoconductance scales exponentially with the radiation intensity, so that already at $ 100 \text{ mW}/\text{cm}^2$ it increases by almost four orders of magnitude. This effect is observed for a radiation electric field oriented along the source drain direction. We provide model considerations of the effect and attribute it to the variation of the tunneling barrier height by the radiation field made possible by local diffraction effects. We also demonstrate that cyclotron resonance due to an external magnetic field manifests itself in the photoconductance completely suppressing the photoresponse.

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arXiv2021

Magnetohydrodynamics and electro-electron interaction of massless Dirac fermions

The magnetotransport properties of massless Dirac fermions in a gapless HgTe quantum well are investigated. In samples with narrow channels, a large negative magnetoresistance with a Lorentzian profile is observed, which is interpreted as a manifestation of electron viscosity due to electron-electron interaction. Comparison of experiment with theory yields the shear stress relaxation time of the Dirac fermions caused by electron-electron scattering.

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arXiv2021

Viscous magnetotransport and Gurzhi effect in bilayer electron system

We observe a large negative magnetoresistance and a decrease of resistivity with increasing temperature, known as the Gurzhi effect, in a bilayer electron (BL) system formed by a wide GaAs quantum well. A hydrodynamic model for the single fluid transport parameters in narrow channels is employed and successfully describes our experimental findings. We find that the electron-electron scattering in the bilayer is more intensive in comparison with a single-band well (SW). The hydrodynamic assumption implies a strong dependence on boundary conditions, which can be characterized by slip length, describing the behavior of a liquid near the edge. Our results reveal that slip length in a BL is shorter than in a SW, and that the BL system goes deeper into the hydrodynamic regime. This is in agreement with the model proposed where the slip length is of the order of the electron-electron mean free path.

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arXiv2020

Topological insulators based on HgTe

The most interesting experimental results obtained in studies of 2D and 3D topological insulators (TIs) based on HgTe quantum wells and films are reviewed. In the case of 2D TIs, these include the observation of nonlocal ballistic and diffusion transport, the magnetic breakdown of 2D TIs, and an anomalous temperature dependence of edge-channel resistance. In 3D TIs, a record-setting high mobility of surface two-dimensional Dirac fermions (DFs) has been attained. This enabled determining all the main TI parameters (the bulk gap and the density of DFs on both of its surfaces) and provided information on the phase of the Shubnikov - de Haas oscillations of DFs, which indicates the rigid topological coupling between the fermion spin and momentum. Prospects for further research are discussed in the conclusion.

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arXiv2020

Terahertz photoresistivity of a high-mobility 3D topological insulator based on a strained HgTe film

We report on a detailed study of the terahertz (THz) photoresistivity in a strained HgTe three-dimensional topological insulator (3D TI) for all Fermi level positions: inside the conduction and valence bands, and in the bulk gap. In the presence of a magnetic field we detect a resonance corresponding to the cyclotron resonance (CR) in the top surface Dirac fermions (DF) and examine the nontrivial dependence of the surface state cyclotron mass on the Fermi level position. We also detect additional resonant features at moderate electron densities and demonstrate that they are caused by the mixing of surface DF and bulk electrons. At high electron densities, we observe THz radiation induced 1/B-periodic low-field magneto-oscillations coupled to harmonics of the CR and demonstrate that they have a common origin with microwave-induced resistance oscillations (MIRO) previously observed in high mobility GaAs-based heterostructures. This observation attests the superior quality of 2D electron system formed by helical surface states in strained HgTe films.

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arXiv2020

Gated two-dimensional electron gas in magnetic field: nonlinear versus linear regimes

We study the effect of magnetic field on the properties of a high mobility gated two-dimensional electron gas in a field effect transistor with the Hall bar geometry. When approaching the current saturation when the drain side of the channel becomes strongly depleted, we see a number of unusual effects related to the magnetic field induced re-distribution of the electron density in the conducting channel. The experimental results obtained in the non-linear regime have been interpreted based on the results obtained in the linear regime by a simple theoretical model, which describes quite well our observations.

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arXiv2020

Band structure of a HgTe-based three-dimensional topological insulator

From the analysis of the cyclotron resonance, we experimentally obtain the band structure of the three-dimensional topological insulator based on a HgTe thin film. Top gating was used to shift the Fermi level in the film, allowing us to detect separate resonance modes corresponding to the surface states at two opposite film interfaces, the bulk conduction band, and the valence band. The experimental band structure agrees reasonably well with the predictions of the $\mathbf{k\cdot p}$ model. Due to the strong hybridization of the surface and bulk bands, the dispersion of the surface states is close to parabolic in the broad range of the electron energies.

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arXiv2020

Observation of High Harmonics of the Cyclotron Resonance in Microwave Transmission of a High-Mobility Two-Dimensional Electron System

We report an observation of magnetooscillations of the microwave power transmitted through the high mobility two-dimensional electron system hosted by a GaAs quantum well. The oscillations reflect an enhanced absorption of radiation at high harmonics of the cyclotron resonance and follow simultaneously measured microwave-induced resistance oscillations (MIRO) in the dc transport. While the relative amplitude (up to 1%) of the transmittance oscillations appears to be small, they represent a significant (>50%) modulation of the absorption coefficient. The analysis of obtained results demonstrates that the low-B decay, magnitude, and polarization dependence of the transmittance oscillations accurately follow the theory describing photon-assisted scattering between distant disorder-broadened Landau levels. The extracted sample parameters reasonably well describe the concurrently measured MIRO. Our results provide an insight into the MIRO polarization immunity problem and pave the way to probe diverse high-frequency transport properties of high-mobility systems using precise transmission measurements.

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arXiv2020

Weak antilocalization in partially relaxed 200-nm HgTe films

The anomalous magnetoresistance caused by the weak antilocalization (WAL) effects in 200-nm HgTe films is experimentally studied. The film is a high quality 3D topological insulator with much stronger spatial separation of surface states than in previously studied thinner HgTe structures. However, in contrast to that films, the system under study is characterized by a reduced partial strain resulting in an almost zero bulk energy gap. It has been shown that at all positions of the Fermi level the system exhibits a WAL conductivity correction superimposed on classical parabolic magnetoresistance. Since high mobility of carriers, the analysis of the obtained results was performed using a ballistic WAL theory. The maximum of the WAL conductivity correction amplitude was found at a Fermi level position near the bulk energy gap indicating to full decoupling of the surface carriers in these conditions. The WAL amplitude monotonously decreases when the density of either bulk electrons or holes increases that results from the increasing coupling between surface and bulk carriers.

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arXiv2020

Stokes flow around an obstacle in viscous two-dimensional electron liquid

The electronic analog of the Poiseuille flow is the transport in a narrow channel with disordered edges that scatter electrons in a diffuse way. In the hydrodynamic regime, the resistivity decreases with temperature, referred to as the Gurzhi effect, distinct from conventional Ohmic behaviour. We studied experimentally an electronic analog of the Stokes flow around a disc immersed in a two-dimensional viscous liquid. The circle obstacle results in an additive contribution to resistivity. If specular boundary conditions apply, it is no longer possible to detect Poiseuille type flow and the Gurzhi effect. However, in flow through a channel with a circular obstacle, the resistivity decreases with temperature. By tuning the temperature, we observed the transport signatures of the ballistic and hydrodynamic regimes on the length scale of disc size. Our experimental results confirm theoretical predictions.

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arXiv2020

Microwave Photoresistance of a Two-Dimensional Topological Insulator in a HgTe Quantum Well

The microwave photoresistance of a two-dimensional topological insulator in a HgTe quantum well with an inverted spectrum has been experimentally studied under irradiation at frequencies of 110-169 GHz. Two mechanisms of formation of this photoresistance have been revealed. The first mechanism is due to transitions between the dispersion branches of edge current states, whereas the second mechanism is caused by the action of radiation on the bulk of the quantum well.

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arXiv2020

Impact ionization induced by terahertz radiation in HgTe quantum wells of critical thickness

We report on the observation of terahertz (THz) radiation induced band-to-band impact ionization in \HgTe quantum well (QW) structures of critical thickness, which are characterized by a nearly linear energy dispersion. The THz electric field drives the carriers initializing electron-hole pair generation. The carrier multiplication is observed for photon energies less than the energy gap under the condition that the product of the radiation angular frequency $ω$ and momentum relaxation time $τ_{\text l}$ larger than unity. In this case, the charge carriers acquire high energies solely because of collisions in the presence of a high-frequency electric field. The developed microscopic theory shows that the probability of the light impact ionization is proportional to $\exp(-E_0^2/E^2)$, with the radiation electric field amplitude $E$ and the characteristic field parameter $E_0$. As observed in experiment, it exhibits a strong frequency dependence for $ωτ\gg 1$ characterized by the characteristic field $E_0$ linearly increasing with the radiation frequency $ω$.

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arXiv2019

Topological protection brought to light by the time-reversal symmetry breaking

Recent topological band theory distinguishes electronic band insulators with respect to various symmetries and topological invariants, most commonly, the time reversal symmetry and the $\rm Z_2$ invariant. The interface of two topologically distinct insulators hosts a unique class of electronic states -- the helical states, which shortcut the gapped bulk and exhibit spin-momentum locking. The magic and so far elusive property of the helical electrons, known as topological protection, prevents them from coherent backscattering as long as the underlying symmetry is preserved. Here we present an experiment which brings to light the strength of topological protection in one-dimensional helical edge states of a $\rm Z_2$ quantum spin-Hall insulator in HgTe. At low temperatures, we observe the dramatic impact of a tiny magnetic field, which results in an exponential increase of the resistance accompanied by giant mesoscopic fluctuations and a gap opening. This textbook Anderson localization scenario emerges only upon the time-reversal symmetry breaking, bringing the first direct evidence of the topological protection strength in helical edge states.

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