Negative Differential Resistance and Astability of the Wigner Solid

TL;DR

This paper investigates the breakdown and dynamic behavior of the Wigner solid in a 2D electron gas, revealing negative differential resistance, hysteresis, and spontaneous oscillations under different biasing conditions.

Contribution

It demonstrates the occurrence of negative differential resistance and oscillatory behavior in the magnetically induced Wigner solid, highlighting novel electrical characteristics.

Findings

Hysteresis in voltage-biased measurements

Negative differential resistance in current-biased setup

Spontaneous narrow band oscillations observed

Abstract

We report an unusual breakdown of the magnetically induced Wigner solid in an exceptional two-dimensional electron gas. The current-voltage characteristic is found to be hysteretic in the voltage biased setup and has a region of negative differential resistance in the current biased setup. When the sample is current biased in the region of negative differential resistance, the voltage on and the current through the sample develop spontaneous narrow band oscillations.