Abstract-Continuous third harmonic generation in a terahertz driven modulated nanowire

Kathleen E. Hamilton^1,a), Alexey A. Kovalev², Amrit De¹ and Leonid P. Pryadko¹
 HIDE AFFILIATIONS
1 Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
2 Department of Physics and Astronomy and Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
a) Electronic mail: kathleen.hamilton@email.ucr.edu
J. Appl. Phys. 117, 213103 (2015); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4921929

We consider the possibility of observing continuous third-harmonic generation using a strongly driven, single-band one-dimensional metal. In the absence of scattering, the quantum efficiency of frequency tripling for such a system can be as high as 93%. Combining the Floquet quasi-energy spectrum with the Keldysh Green's function technique, we derive a semiclassical master equation for a one-dimensional band of strongly and rapidly driven electrons in the presence of weak scattering by phonons. The power absorbed from the driving field is continuously dissipated by phonon modes, leading to a quasi-equilibrium in the electrondistribution. We use the Kronig-Penney model with varying effective mass to establish the growth parameters of an InAs/InP nanowire near optimal for third harmonic generation at terahertz frequency range.