Two-dimensional electron gas as a sensitive noise detector

TL;DR

This paper explains how a 2D electron gas can serve as a sensitive noise detector by analyzing the rectified voltage caused by circuit noise, revealing its dependence on contact asymmetry and noise amplitude.

Contribution

It demonstrates the mechanism of noise detection in 2D electron gases through rectification effects and characterizes the voltage response under different noise conditions.

Findings

Rectified voltage depends on contact asymmetry.

Voltage response transitions from quadratic to linear with noise amplitude.

Voltage levels off at high noise amplitudes.

Abstract

The dc voltage observed at low-temperatures in a 2D electron sample $without$ external excitation is accounted by the Schottky contact rectification of the noise generated in the measuring circuit. The rectified voltage is shown to depend on the asymmetry of the contact pair. The dependence of the rectified voltage on the noise amplitude first follows the trivial quadratic law, then exhibits a nearly linear behavior, and, finally, levels-off.