The possibility of using the Zener effect for the phase conjugation of acoustic beams

A method for varying the density of an electron plasma to achieve the phase conjugation of acoustic waves is presented which is based on the Zener tunneling of electrons in intrinsic semiconductors from the valence zone into the conductivity zone in an external periodic electric field. General equations are obtained which describe the phase conjugation of an incident acoustic wave propagating in a semiconductor, with allowance made for phonon-plasma interaction at the deformation potential. It is shown that, over a certain region of changes in the semiconductor parameters and in the external electric field, the phase conjugation process is sufficiently efficient.