# THz frequency- and wavevector-dependent conductivity of low-density drifting electron gas in GaN. Monte Carlo calculations

## TL;DR

This paper uses Monte Carlo simulations to analyze the frequency- and wavevector-dependent conductivity of drifting electrons in GaN, revealing negative dynamic conductivity effects that could be used for electromagnetic wave amplification.

## Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of the wavevector and frequency dependence of dynamic conductivity in GaN, identifying conditions for negative conductivity and potential amplification applications.

## Key findings

- Negative dynamic conductivity occurs at specific frequency windows.
- Cherenkov mechanism causes low-frequency negative conductivity.
- Optical phonon resonances lead to higher frequency negative conductivity.

## Abstract

We report the results of Monte Carlo simulation of electron dynamics in stationary and space- and time-dependent electric fields in compensated GaN samples. We have determined the frequency and wavevector dependencies of the dynamic conductivity, $\sigma_{\omega,q}$. We have found that the spatially dependent dynamic conductivity of the drifting electrons can be negative under stationary electric fields of moderate amplitudes, $2..5$ kV/cm. This effect is realized in a set of frequency windows. The low-frequency window with negative dynamic conductivity is due to the Cherenkov mechanism. For this case the time-dependent field induces a {\it traveling wave} of the electron concentration in real space and a {\it standing wave} in the energy/momentum space. The higher frequency windows of negative dynamic conductivity are associated with the optical phonon transient time resonances. For this case the time-dependent field is accompanied by oscillations of the electron distribution in the form of the {\it traveling} waves in both the real space and the energy/momentum space. We discuss the optimal conditions for the observation of these effects. We suggest that the studied negative dynamic conductivity can be used to amplify electromagnetic waves at the expense of energy of the stationary field and current.