Multiphoton processes in microwave photoresistance of two-dimensional electron systems

Abstract

We extend our studies of microwave photoresistance of ultrahigh mobility two-dimensional electron systems (2DES) into the high-intensity, nonlinear regime employing both monochromatic and bichromatic radiation. Under high-intensity monochromatic radiation $\ensuremath{\omega}$ we observe zero-resistance states (ZRSs) that correspond to the rational values of $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=\ensuremath{\omega}∕{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{C}$ (${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{C}$ is the cyclotron frequency) and can be associated with multiphoton processes. Under bichromatic radiation ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{1},{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{2}$ we discover a resistance minimum, possibly a precursor of bichromatic ZRSs, which seems to originate from a frequency mixing process, ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{1}+{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{2}$. These findings indicate that multiphoton processes play important roles in the physics of nonequilibrium transport of microwave-driven 2DES, and suggest new directions for theoretical and experimental studies.