From Bloch oscillations to a steady-state current in strongly biased mesoscopic devices

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2023

Authors

Pinho, JMA (Author) Other; Pires, JPS (Author) FCUP; Joao, SM (Author) Other; Amorim, B (Author) Other; Lopes, JMVP (Author) FCUP

Journal

The Journal is awaiting validation by the Administrative Services.

Title: PHYSICAL REVIEW B

Vol. 108

ISSN: 2469-9950

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 3 Citations

Scopus - 3 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00Y-XDC

DOI: 10.1103/physrevb.108.075402

Abstract (EN): It has long been known that quantum particles moving in a periodic lattice and subject to a constant force field undergo an oscillatory motion that is referred to as Bloch oscillations (BOs). However, it is also known that, under quite general conditions, a biased mesoscopic system connected to leads should settle in a steady-state regime characterized by a constant electric current (described by the Landauer formula). These two observations naturally lead to the question: do BOs survive in some manner in mesoscopic devices in the presence of a constant electric field? To answer this question, we explore the interface between these two regimes in two-terminal devices and demonstrate theoretically that BOs can actually be observed in such apparatuses as a transient phenomenon, which relaxes for long times to a steady-state current that agrees with the Landauer formula. Furthermore, we also combine analytical and numerical time-evolution results for a one-dimensional tight-binding model of a biased two-terminal mesoscopic system, in order to characterize the decay times of the transient BOs and establish the conditions under which they can occur.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 13