THz Emission from SiC Natural Superlattice Diodes Induced by Strong Electrical Field

Abstract

Recently the intense terahertz electroluminescence from monopolar n++–n– –n+ structures of 6H- and 8H-SiC of natural superlattices at helium temperatures due to Bloch oscillations was discovered. In the present work we present the THz emission spectra of bipolar n++–π–n+ structures (π is a high-resistance layer of p-type conductivity) of natural superlattices 4H-, 8H- and 15R-SiC at 7 K. The bipolar n++–π–n+ structures of 4H- and 8H-SiC were analogous to those of structures for which the negative differential conductivity effect was observed earlier for three polytypes (4H, 6H and 8H) at T=300 K. We demonstrate resemblance and differences of the spontaneous THz emission spectra for the monopolar and bipolar 4H-, 6H- 8H- and 15R-SiC natural superlattices caused by Bloch oscillations of electrons in the SiC natural superlattice.