Terahertz induced quantum transport in nanostructures

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Sergey Ganichev
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2017 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 333849811

The focus of the project lies on the exploration of electrical transport phenomena which occur in (nanopatterned) low-dimensional semiconductor (GaAs- SiGe-, and InAs-based quantum wells) and topological insulator systems (HgTe based) under terahertz irradiation. Phenomena to be investigated, both experimentally and theoretically, include terahertz induced magnetoresistance oscillations (TIROs), and polarization dependent giant photocurrents at cyclotron resonance,. A theory of the above effects should be developed in the framework of cooperation with colleagues from Ioffe institute. A prominent role in these investigations play terahertz induced magnetoresistance oscillations, i.e. 1/B periodic oscillations of the conductivity which occur under the influence of terahertz radiation. These oscillations are similar to the well-known microwave induced magnetoresistance oscillations (MIROs) but show, amongst others, unexpected polarization and frequency dependence which challenges the present understanding of the effect. The overall aim of the project is to investigate and clarify the underlying mechanisms of these oscillations and of related terahertz induced transport phenomena.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Dieter Weiss