Bulk and surface plasmon modes in a superlattice of alternating layered electron gases

Abstract

Calculations are presented for the collective plasmon modes of a superlattice consisting of two-dimensional electron gas layers separated by media of alternating thickness and/or dielectric constant. The theory is developed for bulk plasmon modes in an infinite superlattice, and for bulk and surface modes in a semi-infinite superlattice. Applications are made to layered electron gases in semiconductor heterojunctions (such as GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs), and in particular to light scattering from the plasmons.