CAOL*2019, September 6-8 — SOZOPOL, BULGARIA 244

Full-mode analysis of the plasmon oscillations of

2D electron gas subjected to electric field
V.V. Korotyeyev, V.A Kochelap L. Varani
Department of Theoretical Physics Institute of Electronics and Systems
Institute of Semiconductor Physics of NASU UMR CNRS 5214, University of Montpellier
03028 Kyiv, Ukraine Montpellier, France
[email protected], [email protected] [email protected]

Abstract—Plasmon dispersion law including wavevectror de- mode interaction [7], that can occur in the drifting 2D electron
pendencies of the oscillation frequency, ω ′ (q), and the damping gas (2DEG) under the grating. Also, different kind of plasmon
ω ′′ (q) of 2D electron gas subjected to the steady-state electric instabilities are discussed for structures with configuration of
field were analyzed in the frameworks of general kinetic theory
of collisionless plasma. Two particular cases of ungated and gated the diode or field-effect transistor [8]–[10].
2D electron gas were considered. We found that the spectra of The many theories describing the plasmon properties of
2D plasmons have the following peculiarities: multi-branched
character, strong dependence of Landau damping vs dielectric 2DEG are based on hydrodynamic treatment of the electron
surrounding of 2D gas, the strong non-reciprocal dispersion with transport. This approach implies high electron concentrations,
respect to the direction of electron drift, existence of an extended when strong electron-electron scattering totally controls both
instability range of wavevectors where plasmons propagating steady-state and high-frequency electron kinetics. In the oppo-
along the electron drift have essential increment of oscillations, site case of the low electron concentrations, the description of
ω ′′ > 0. Also, the effect of the mode interaction under applied
field was identified. plasmon excitations should be based on the general kinetic
Index Terms—Landau damping, plasmon instability, non- approaches that was for the first time developed by L.D.
reciprocity, THz plasmonics Landau for 3D collisionless electron plasma [11], [12] and
later by H.Totsuji for 2D electron plasma [13].
I. I NTRODUCTION
The consideration of the electric field effect on the plasma
In the past decade the great success in the terahertz (THz)
properties was done by A. I. Akhiezer and A. G. Sitenko
technologies is in part associated with the rapid develop-
in pioneer paper [14]. Authors showed that plasmon mode
ment of a special field of research often mentioned as THz
propagating along electron drift can be unstable. Later, J.
plasmonics [1]. THz plasmonics uses the effects of strong
Wilkins and co-workers discussed in the frames of the same
coupling of electromagnetic waves with plasmon oscillations
transport model the hot-electron screening effect [15] and the
of electron gas in the presence of artificially structured surfaces
effect of the two-stream instability [16]. However, at that
(plasmonic metamaterials).
time, this theoretical activity did not obtain a proper interest
An important development of THz plasmonics deals with
due to the lack of high-quality samples for experimental
grating-based plasmonic structures coupled with a two-
verifications. The advances in the modern growth technology
dimensional electron gas (2DEG) [2]. The working principles
of the high-mobility quantum-well heterostructure together
of such hybrid plasmonic structures are based on the excitation
with an emergence of new high-mobility material such as a
of plasmon oscillations in the conductive channel of a quantum
graphene stimulate the detail investigations of the plasmonic
heterostructure or in a doped sheet of graphene in the presence
properties of the highly non-equilibrium 2DEG.
of subwavelength metallic grating. The broad functional abili-
ties of these structures are due to the essential wavevectror Recently, in the frameworks of the kinetic approach the
dispersion of 2DEG plasmon oscillations [3], their strong effect of the field-induced negative absorptivity and triggering
dependence on the dielectric surrounding of the 2DEG [4] of the plasmon instability was predicted for AlGaAs/GaAs
and small damping of the plasmons at high mobilities of the QW [17], narrow graphene strips [18] and low-doped sheet
2DEG. of graphene [19]. Former two papers were concentrated on
Moreover, these structures open the possibility to use them the study of high-frequency conductivity of 2DEG and cal-
as sources of THz radiation. The sufficiently strong applied culations of the spectral characteristics of the grating-based
electric field can trigger the effect of the plasmon instability. plasmonic structures. In latter paper, the evolution of the
In modern literature different kind of possible mechanisms plasmon excitation was numerically simulated in time.
are discussed. Among them it should be noted the effect of
The aim of this paper is to present a detailed investigation
the Cherenkov-like plasmon instability [5], [6], effect of the
of the plasmon spectra of 2DEG with parabolic electron
BMBF grant # 01DK17028 dispersion law subjected to the electric field.

978-1-7281-1814-7/19/31.00 c 2019 IEEE

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 CAOL*2019, September 6-8 — SOZOPOL, BULGARIA 245

II. T RANSPORT MODEL AND THEORETICAL APPROACH The Poisson equation (6) is solved with respect to the z−
The investigations of the plasmonic properties of the 2DEG coordinate, assuming the appropriate boundary conditions. As
are based on the Vlasov system of equations which includes a result of solution, the equation (6) can be formulated for the
the Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) high-frequency potential, Φ̃q (0, t) , in the plane of 2DEG:
∫ ∞
∂G p ∂G ∂Φ ∂G 2πe
+ ∗ +e ˆ
= I{G}, (1) Φ̃q (0, t) = − g̃q (p, t)dp, (7)
∂t m ∂r ∂r ∂p |q|κ(|q|) −∞
z=0

the Poisson equation where κ(|q|) has a sense of the effective dielectric permittivity.
( ) ( ) The explicit forms of κ(|q|) for two considered cases of gated
∂ ∂Φ ∂ ∂Φ
ϵ(z) + ϵ(z) = 4πe[n(r, t) − n0 ]δ[z], (2) and ungated heterostructures are given below.
∂r ∂r ∂z ∂z
Following the Landau approach [11], we consider the initial
and relationship between electron concentration, n(r, t), and value problem by using the Laplace transform. Eqs.(5) and (7)
total electron distribution function, G(p, r, t): formulated for Laplace-components take the form:
∫ ∞ ( qpx) ∂g̃ω,q ∂g0
n(r, t) = G(p, r, t)dp. (3) −g̃i (p)−i ω− ∗ g̃ω,q +eE0 = −ieq Φ̃ω,q (0) (8)
−∞ m ∂px ∂px
∫ ∞
The Boltzmann equation is written for parabolic and isotropic 2πe
Φ̃ω,q (0) = − g̃ω,q (p)dp, (9)
electron dispersion law with scalar effective mass, m∗ . In the |q|κ(|q|) −∞
most general case distribution function G are the function of
ˆ with g̃i (p) being an initial perturbation of the electron distri-
the electron momentum p, coordinates, r, and time, t. I{G}
bution function in the moment of time, t = 0. The given form
is collision integral. The electron coordinate, r = {x, y}, and
of this function explicitly determines ∫ the initial perturbation
momentum, p = {px , py }, are the two-dimensional vectors.
of electron concentration, ñi (0) = g̃i (p)dp as well an elec-
In the Poisson equation, Φ(r, z, t) is the self-consistent elec-
trostatic potential, Φ̃q (0, 0) ≡ Φ̃i (0) = −2πeñi (0)/|q|κ(|q|).
trostatic potential and function ϵ(z) describes the dielectric
The main requirement to the form of g̃i (p) is the integrability
surrounding of 2DEG. Dirac delta-function δ[z] corresponds
over whole momentum space. The solution of Eq.(9) gives
to the infinitely-thin treatment of the 2DEG. The n0 is the
the Laplace components of the high-frequency distribution
steady-state 2D electron concentration
function:
Let’s the steady-state and uniform electric field, E0 , is ∫
applied to the plane of 2DEG. This field induces an steady- iq Φ̃ω,q (0) px ′ ∂g0 (p′x ,py )
g̃ω,q (p) = − dpx Kω,q (px ,p′x )
state electron drift. The plasmon oscillations of drifting 2DEG ∫ px E0 −∞ ∂p′x
are treated as an small-signal perturbations which have the 1
+ dp′ g̃i (p′x , py )Kω,q (px ,p′x ),
wave-like form. Under this assumption, the system of Eqs. eE0 −∞ x
(1)-(3) have to be linearized. For this, we present the G (10)
and Φ as a sum of steady-state and high-frequency parts: where core
G(p, r, t) = g0 (p) + g̃q (p, t) exp(iqr) and Φ(r, z, t) = [ ]
′ i{ω(px − p′x ) − q(p2x − p′2
x )/2m }
∗
Φ0 (r) |z=0 +Φ̃q (z, t) exp(iqr), where q is the wavevector Kω,q (px ,px ) = exp
eE0
of plasmon wave. Now Eqs. (1)-(3) can be written as follows:
∂g0 Substituting Eq. (10) into Eq.(9) and using inverse Laplace
−eE0 ˆ 0}
= I{g (4) transform, we can determine an evolution in time of electric
∂p
characteristics of 2DEG, particularly self-consistent potential.
where E0 = − ∂Φ0 (r)/∂r|z=0 = const and ∫ ∞+ir
1 N (ω, q)
∂g̃q iqp ∂g̃q ∂g0 Φ̃q (0, t) = dω exp(−iωt), (11)
+ ∗ g̃q − eE0 = −ieq Φ̃q (0, t), (5) 2π −∞+ir ∆(ω, q)
∂t m ∂p ∂p
( ) ∫ ∞
∂ ∂ Φ̃q where r should be chosen in such way that line of integration
ϵ(z) −ϵ(z)q 2 Φ̃q = 4πeδ[z] g̃q (p, t)dp. (6) lies above of all poles of ∆(ω, q). Function N (ω, q) and
∂z ∂z −∞
∆(ω, q) can be written as follows:
It is noteworthy that the function g0 is a solution of Eq. (4), ∫ ∞ ∫ px
Φ̃i (0)
in which all actual collision processes should be taken into N (ω, q) = ∫ ∞ dp dp′x g̃i (p′x , py )Kω,q
account. Examples of such functions can be found elsewhere. −∞ −∞
eE0 g̃i (p)dp
The high-frequency part of the BTE (5) is written in collision- −∞
less limit. The estimations of this limit will be done below (12)
for particular heterostructure. In what follows, we assume that and
∫ ∞ ∫
E0 = {−E0 , 0} and q = {q, 0}. Positive/negative values of q 2πiqe px
∂g0 (p′x ,py )
∆(ω, q) = 1 − dp dp′x Kω,q .
correspond to the plasmons propagating along/oposite electron E0 |q|κ(|q|) −∞ −∞ ∂p′x
drift. (13)

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 CAOL*2019, September 6-8 — SOZOPOL, BULGARIA 246

The asymptotes of the integral in Eq.(11) at large t will be by the Doppler factor, Vd q. (II)- damping of these modes is
determined by zeros of function ∆, i.e, Φq (0, t) ∼ exp(−iωk t) the independent on Vd , and one is determined by the relative
where ωk is the solution of characteristic equation, gain, γq . (III)- account of the field term in BTE can lead to the
possibility of the emergence of the unstable plasmon branches,
∆(ωk , q) = 0 (14)
with ωk′′ (q) > 0. Indeed, from the second equation of (18), we
The temporal evolution of the high-frequency potential will be see that in the {ξ ′ , ξ ′′ }-plane there is a critical line defined as:
an superposition of the different plasmon modes oscillating (√ ) 12
with frequency ωk′ which amplitudes increases/decreases in 1+γq2 −1
time depending on a sign of ωk′′ . ξ ′′ = − (√ ′
) 12 ξ . (19)
1+γq2 + 1
III. C HARACTERISTIC EQUATION
The analysis of the plasmon spectra, ωk (q), will be done The possible solutions of the system (17) lying above the
for steady-state distribution, g0 , having the form of so-called critical line will correspond to the unstable modes (ω ′′ > 0).
shifted Maxwellian function. Otherwise, the plasmon modes will be damped (ω ′′ < 0).
[ ]
n0 (px − m∗ Vd )2 + p2y IV. M AIN RESULTS
g0 = exp − , (15)
2πm∗ kB Te 2m∗ kB Te In our analysis we will consider two cases of ungated and
gated 2DEG. For the both cases, we assume very thin barrier
where kB is the Boltzmann constant, Vd and Te are the drift layer of QW heterostructure with thickness, d, so that |q|d <<
velocity, and electron temperature, respectively. Performing 1. At this, the effective dielectric permittivity takes the form
integration in Eq.(13) with function (15), the characteristic [4]: κ(|q|) = (ϵ0 + ϵ2 )/2 ≡ κ = const for ungated 2DEG and
equation (14) takes the form: κ(|q|) = ϵ1 /2|q|d for gated 2DEG, where ϵ0 , ϵ1 and ϵ2 are
qD 1 √ the dielectric permittivities of the vacuum, barrier and buffer
1+ [1 + i πξWF [ξ]] = 0, (16)
|q|κ(|q|) 1 + iγq layers, respectively.
where WF [ξ] is so called complex scaled complemented A. equilibrium case, E0 = 0
error√ function or Faddeeva function [20], ξ = sgn[q](Ωq − At E = 0 the solutions of the characteristic equation (17)
Vd )/ 1 + iγq , qD = 2πe2 n0 /kB Te is the Debye wave depend on the single dimensionless parameter Q. The Fig.1
number of 2D plasma, γq = eE0 /qkB Te has a meaning of the provides the graphical analysis of the possible solutions of the
relative gain of electron energy from the field E0 for a spatial characteristic equation and their location in the {ξ ′ , ξ ′′ }-plane.
period of the plasmon excitation, Ωq = ω/VT q and Vd =
Vd /VT are the dimensionless frequency and√ drift velocity with
respect to the thermal velocity, VT = 2kB Te /m∗ . Thus,
the account of field term in BTE, written for perturbations,
slightly modifies the standard characteristic equation of 2D
1

plasmons [13] and leads to the emergence of the additional 0

k=0

factor, γq .
Further, the characteristic Eq.16 can be rewritten in the 2
k=1

compact form: 2
''

Z(ξ) + Q + iE = 0, (17) -2 k=2

which
√ contains complex-valued Z−function, Z(ξ) = 1 + k=3

i πξWF (ξ), and two dimensionless parameters Q =

κ(|q|)q/qD and E = γq Q.
-4
The numerical solution of Eq.(17) allows us to find all -4 -2 0 2 4
possible roots ξk′ (q) and ξk′′ (q), where k numerates the cor- '
responding branches of plasmon spectrum. Having these roots
we can restore plasmon spectrum by means the following Fig. 1. Zero-level isolines of the function Z ′ (ξ ′ , ξ ′′ ) + Q calculated at Q =
transformations: 0.05 (thick black lines) and Q = 0.5 (black thin lines), and zero-level isolines
[ of the function Z ′′ (ξ ′ , ξ ′′ ) + E at E = 0 (red lines). Colored curves with
VT |q| (√ ) 12 (√ ) 12 ] origins (marked by circles) and termini (marked by triangles) represent for
ωk′ = Vd q + √ 1+γq2 +1 ξk′ − 1+γq2 −1 ξk′′ the first four modes the loci of solutions of Eq (17) obtained at a variation
[ 2 ) 12 ] of Q from 0.05 to 0.5. Grey lines are given by function |ξ ′′ | = 1/|ξ ′ |
′′ VT |q| (√ ) 12 (√
which demarcate the regions in the {ξ ′ , ξ ′′ }-plane where parameter σ in the
ωk = √ 1+γq2 + 1 ξk′′ + 1+γq2 −1 ξk′ , asymptotic expansion of Z−function (Eq.(20)) takes the values 0, 1 and 2.
2
(18)
The form of the relationships (18) allows us to make At given Q the desirable solutions are given by the intersec-
the several important conclusions. (I) - drift velocity, Vd , tion points of the black and red lines which represent the zero-
renormalizes the oscillation frequency of the plasmons modes level isolines of the functions Z ′ (ξ ′ , ξ ′′ ) + Q and Z ′′ (ξ ′ , ξ ′′ ),

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 CAOL*2019, September 6-8 — SOZOPOL, BULGARIA 247

respectively. These points are marked by circles for small of the thermal as well and plasmonic mode at large Q (Q >>
Q = 0.05 and by triangles for relatively large Q = 0.5. As 1/4π) can be approximated by following expression:
seen, the Eq. (17) allows multiple solutions. Varying Q, these [ [ ] ( )]
′ (0) 1 Q 1
solutions follow in the lower half-plane the spacial trajectories ωk≈ Vd q+VT |q|xk 1− (0)2 ln √ (0)
+O (0)4 ,
(loci of solutions) which symmetrically located in the III and [ 4xk [ 2π2x ] k ( xk)]
IV quadrants. These trajectories coincide with the parts of the 1 Q 1
ωk′′≈ −VT |q|xk 1+ (0)2 ln √
(0)
zero-level isolines of the function Z ′′ (ξ ′ , ξ ′′ ). The symmetrical (0)
+O (0)4 ,
4xk 2π2xk xk
pair of the trajectories correspond to two modes which have (22)
the same oscillation frequency and damping but they propagate (0) √
where xk = π(k + 3/8) and k = 0, 1, 2, 3.... This mode
in the opposite directions. have almost linear dispersion. In the absence of the electron
The two longest loci of solutions (green lines) which asymp- drift their phase velocity is determined by thermal velocity, VT .
totically tend to the axis ξ ′′ = 0 at the small Q correspond For this reason, these modes will be called as thermal ones.
to the plasmonic modes. These modes have highest quality Also, they have a weak (logarithmic) dependence on dielectric
factors. Other modes which are described by much shorter surrounding which are included in dimensionless parameter Q.
trajectories represent the overdamped oscillations. For them As seen from Fig.2 the obtained asymptotic expressions are
|ξ ′′ | ∼ |ξ ′ | and subsequently |ω ′ | ∼ |ω ′′ |. These modes we
will call as thermal ones. 0.2
(a) k=0

The asymptotic expansion of the function WF (ξ) [22] gives

k=1

k=2

D
k=3
that:

'/V q
0.1

T
k
√
Z(ξ) ≈ −1/2ξ 2 −3/4ξ 4 −15/8ξ 6 ...+ iσ πξ exp(−ξ 2 ). (20) 0.0

0.0

D
This form allows us to solve Eq. (17) at Q << 1 by successive
''/V q
T

-0.1
approximations. Using relationship (18), we found asymptotes
k

of plasmonic modes: (b)

-0.2
0.00 0.25 0.50
[ ]
VT |q| 3Q kq/q
D

ω0′ ≈ Vd q+ √ 1+ ,
2Q 2
( )3/2 ( ) Fig. 2. Dependencies of ωk′ (q) (a) and ωk′′ (q) (b) of ungated 2DEG including
′′
√ VT |q| 1 1 first four branches k = 0, 1, 2, 3. Thin solid curves represent the result
ω0 ≈ − π √ exp − (21) of numerical calculations. Other curves are the results of the asymptotic
2Q 2Q 2Q expressions (21) (dashed lines) and (22) (dash-dotted lines).

For the ungated 2DEG, dimensional √ parameter Q ≡ well agreed with the results of numerical calculations.
Q
√ D = κ|q|/q D , then prefactor VT |q|/ 2Q ≡ ωp = B. non-equilibrium case, E0 ̸= 0
2πe2 n0 |q|/κm∗ is the standard frequency of the ungated The electric field applied to the 2DEG can essentially
2D plasmons obtained in hydrodynamic model of 2DEG [3]. modify the plasmon spectra due to the several factors. One of
The damping of the plasmon mode is the exponentially small them is the electron drift that leads to the non-zero contribution
at q << qD . of the Doppler shift term, Vd q and non-reciprocal behavior
For the gated 2DEG, (when |q|d << 1) parameter Q = of the oscillation frequency, ω ′ (q) with respect to sign of
ϵ1 /2qD d and one can be expressed in terms of a ratio of the q. Second one is the non-zero contribution of the gain
squires of the thermal velocity, VT and√the characteristic phase γq = eE0 /kB Te q as well as dimensionless parameter E. As
velocity of gated plasmons, Vp = 4πe2 n0 d/ϵ1 m∗ , i.e, follows from Eqs. (18) these parameters can have a impact on
Q ≡ Vp = VT /2Vp . Velocity Vp is the phase velocity of
2 2
both ω ′ (q) and ω ′′ (q)
gated plasmons obtained in the hydrodynamic model under The contour plot in Fig.3 illustrates the graphical solution
equilibrium [3], [21]. From this it follows that dispersion of of Eq. (17) at E ̸= 0. Even at small E = 0.015 the form
the gated plasmonic mode, ω ′ (q) and ω ′′ (q) remains the linear of the zero-level isolines of function Z ′′ (ξ ′ , ξ ′′ ) + E essen-
in the wide range of the wavevector. The mechanism of the tially modifies in comparison with equilibrium case (Fig.2).
Landau damping of plasmon oscillations can be much more Particularly, it is strongly deformed the plasmonic locus of
important in the case of the gated 2DEG than for ungated one. solutions. We see that a part of plasmonic locus of solution
The counter plot in Fig. 1 shows us that together with high- which belongs to the IV quadrant can pass in the vicinity of
quality plasmonic modes there is another family of solutions the one of the thermal locus of solution. At this, it is expected
(marked by k = 1, 2, ...). These solutions are realized at ξ ′′ < the emergence of the mode interaction effect. Moreover, at
−|ξ ′ |−1 (σ = 2) and they describe overdamped modes. We small Q = 0.005 (corresponding value of γq = 3), at least,
found (details will be published elsewhere) that the dispersion the first four roots in IV quadrant (marked by colored circles)

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 CAOL*2019, September 6-8 — SOZOPOL, BULGARIA 248

described by the expressions (24):

√ [ (1)
]
eE |q| x
ωk′ |q>0 ≈ Vd q+2
0 (0)
4 x 1+ k (0) ,
m∗ k 2γq xk
k=0
√ [ (0)
]
2 k=1
eE |q| x
ωk′ |q<0 ≈ Vd q+2
0 (1)
k=2
xk + k ,
k=3 m∗ 2γq
0 √ [ (0)
]
eE0 |q| (1) xk
''

′′
Line2

ωk |q>0 ≈ 2 xk − ,
-2 m∗ 2γq
Line1 √
′′ eE0 |q| (0)
-4
ωk |q<0 ≈ −2 x , (24)
m∗ k
-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 (0) √ (0) √
with xk = π(k + 5/8) (for q > 0), xk = π(k + 1/8)
(1) (0) √ (0)
'
(for q < 0) and xk = −1/4xk × ln[E/ 2π2xk ] (for both
sign of q). As seen, in the contrast of the plasmonic mode
Fig. 3. The same as in Fig.1 calculated at Q = 0.005 (thick black lines),
Q = 0.5 (thin black lines), and E = 0.015 (red lines). Dash-dotted Lines the oscillation frequency of the thermal modes in this limit is
1 and 2 are the critical lines given by Eq. (19) and correspond to the γq ≡ strongly renormalized by the electric field. They acquire the
E/Q = 3, 0.03, respectively. squire root wavevector dispersion of the ω ′ . The increasing of
the electric field, E0 , √
leads to the increasing of the frequency
proportionally to the E0 .
The comparison of spectral characteristics ω0′ (q) and ω0′′ (q),
lie above the critical line (Line 1) defined by Eq. (19). It means obtained as the result of the numerical calculations, for ungated
that these modes have positive values of ω ′′ - increment. The and gated 2DEG (see Fig.4) is performed for modeling param-
other roots that belong to the II, III are located below critical eters of GaAs QW with two values of electron concentration
lines and they correspond to the damped modes. At relatively n0 = 1011 and 3 × 1011 cm−2 at applied electric field E0 = 2
large, Q = 0.5 (corresponding value of γq = 0.03), all roots kV/cm. For such parameters, characteristic dimensionless field
(marked by triangles), including the IV quadrant, lie below
critical line (Line 2) . They correspond to the damped modes. (a) ungated 10
11
cm
-2

6 11 -2
ungated 3x10 cm
We found that plasmonic mode, in the range of dimen- gated 10
11
cm
-2
'/2 , THz

sionless parameters when 1/2 × Q/(Q2 + E 2 ) >> 1, can 4 gated 3x10

11
cm
-2

be approximated as follows:
2

0
[ ] 0.5 (b)

′ VT |q| 3Q 15(Q2 − E 2 )
ω0 ≈ Vd q + √ 1+ +
''/2 , THz

2Q 2 8 0.0
[ ]
′′ 3 V T |q| 5Q
ω0 ≈ ± √ E 1+ , (23) -0.5
2 2Q 2
-1.0
-0.5 0.0 0.5
qd
where upper/lower signs corresponds to the mode propagating
along (q > 0) /opposite(q < 0) the electron drift. For the Fig. 4. Dependencies of ω ′ (q) (a) and ω ′ (q) calculated for the ungated
(black curves) and gated (red curves) plasmonic modes at two electron
ungated 2DEG, parameter E ≡ ED = κeE0 /kB Te qD does not concentrations, n0 = 1011 cm−2 (solid curves) and n0 = 3 × 1011 cm−2
depend on q. The obtained asymptotes indicates that plasmonic (dash-dotted curves). Applied electric field, E0 = 2 kV/cm, and electron
mode has squire-root wavevector dependence of ω ′′ (q) > 0 (at temperature, Te = 100 K. Thickness, d = 10 nm.
q > 0) which linear proportional to E0 . At q < 0, ω ′′ (q) < 0
arisen for ungated 2DEG ED , takes the values of 0.11 and
and the damping of the mode is increased with an increasing
0.036 for lower and higher concentrations, respectively. The
of E0 . However, the oscillation frequency (except of Doppler
characteristic parameter Vp determined quality factor of the
term), is weakly renormalized by the electric field. For gated
gated mode is equal to 0.43 (for the concentration, n0 =
2DEG, parameters Q = Vp = const and E ≡ EQ = Vp γq ∼
1×1011 cm−2 ) and 0.14 (for the concentration, n0 = 3×1011
1/q. Then, Eqs.(23) indicates that plasmonic mode with q > 0
cm−2 ).
is described by the wide instability range where ω ′′ is almost
As seen from Fig.4, the both ungated (pair of the black
constant.
curves) and gated (pair of the red curves) plasmonic modes
In the case, when E >> 1/4π and γq >> 1 the asymptotic exhibit for positive q instability range of wavevectors. How-
behavior of the plasmonic as well thermal modes can be ever, the size of this range and amplitude of the increment

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 CAOL*2019, September 6-8 — SOZOPOL, BULGARIA 249

strongly depend on values of electron concentrations. The ACKNOWLEDGMENT

instability range of the ungated plasmonic mode calculated at This work is supported by the German Federal Ministry of
lower electron concentrations (black solid curve) is restricted Education and Research (BMBF Project 01DK17028).
by the wavevectors of qd ∼ 0.5 (d = 10 nm). The amplitude
of increment ω ′′ can reach essential values of 2.5 THz. At the R EFERENCES
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We suggest that discussed phenomena can be used for the
development of THz emitting devices.

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