Generalized-barrier parameters for single-barrier structures and resonance width in asymmetrical double-barrier structures

Generalized-barrier parameters are studied theoretically for rectangular and trapezoidal single-barriers as well as parallel-plane ones, which are basic units for double-barrier and multiple-barrier structures. Analytical expressions for these parameters are derived by taking into account the position-dependent effective-mass effect. Furthermore, the expressions for the generalized-barrier parameters of optical single-layer thin film structures are considered and permit direct application of previous results to thin film interference filters also. The heights of resonant peaks and the resonance widths in asymmetrical double-barrier structures are studied as functions of the generalized-barrier parameters.     

Theoretical study of resonant-tunneling and confining phenomena with mass variation in unsymmetrical rectangular double-barrier structures

Analytical expressions for the transmission coefficient and the resonance condition in unsymmetrical rectangular double-barrier structures are derived theoretically by taking into account the mass difference between well and barrier layers. It is found that resonant tunneling with a transmission peak equal to 1 (unity resonance) and resonant tunneling with a transmission peak less than 1 (below unity resonance) may occur in the unsymmetrical double-barrier structures. Two independent conditions are required for unity-resonant transmission: One is the Phase-Difference Condition for Resonance (PDCR) and the other is the Maximum Condition for the Peak Value (MCPV). The below-unity resonant transmission occurs when only condition PDCR holds. It is believed that the two conditions are useful for calculating values of the transmission coefficient and the resonance energy for the unsymmetrical double-barrier structures. They may be useful for resonant tunneling-device fabrication. Furthermore, wave functions of an electron at resonance level are calculated and the confining phenomenon is confirmed.     

The effect of non-constant effective tunneling mass and asymmetry for resonant tunneling in double-barrier structures

We discuss the transmission coefficient τ_d in non-repetitive, one-dimensional, rectangular double-barrier structures without simplifications such as strongly attenuating barriers, strong localization, or overall constant effective tunneling mass of the electron. For resonance τ_d=1, we obtain two non-approximative conditions which require different resonance energies of the tunneling electron than previously reported in the literature. In fact, the resonance peaks are shifted to higher energy levels in the order of the width of the peaks due to the effect of non-constant tunneling mass. We investigate the dependence of the resonance condition and the shape of the resonance peaks in regard to perturbation of the electron energy, the gap width as well as the barrier width and height. Resonance is stable for variation of the barrier width but sensitive for variation of the barrier height and the gap width. Received: 9 December 1998 / Accepted: 5 January 1999 / Published online: 31 March 1999     

The influence of the Dresselhaus spin--orbit coupling on the tunnelling magnetoresistance in ferromagnet/ insulator /semiconductor/ insulator /ferromagnet tunnel junctions

This paper investigates the effect of Dresselhaus spin--orbit coupling on the spin-transport properties of ferromagnet/insulator/semiconductor/insulator/ferromagnet double-barrier structures. The influence of the thickness of the insulator between the ferromagnet and the semiconductor on the polarization is also considered. The obtained results indicate that (i) the polarization can be enhanced by reducing the insulator layers at zero temperature, and (ii) the tunnelling magnetoresistance inversion can be illustrated by the influence of the Dresselhaus spin--orbit coupling effect in the double-barrier structure. Due to the Dresselhaus spin--orbit coupling effect, the tunnelling magnetoresistance inversion occurs when the energy of a localized state in the barrier matches the Fermi energy E_F of the ferromagnetic electrodes.     

Tunneling in double-barrier ZnSe/ZnTe structures — time-dependent analysis

Wave-packet time-dependent quantum mechanics is used to calculate the tunneling probability through a double-barrier ZnSe/ZnTe structure. The time-dependent transmission characteristics are obtained for several structures, and detailed electron dynamics is presented. The resonant peaks due to the presence of the discrete energy levels in the quantum well as well as in the barrier region are observed.     

Parity and abrupt broadening of resonance levels in triple-barrier structures

Expressions for resonance active high-frequency small-signal conductivity and resonance level widths have been derived for asymmetric triple-barrier resonance-tunneling structures with thin high barriers. It is found that if the levels forming a common resonance level have different parities in each of double-barrier structures, the width of the common level and, accordingly, the total conductance of the entire structure may increase manifold for a certain choice of the triple-barrier structure parameters. Consequently, the lifetime of electrons on this level also decreases drastically; hence, the conditions of coherent transport (departure of electrons from the structure without their collision with phonons) can be easily realized.     

Resonance condition for asymmetrical triple-barrier structures

The resonance condition for triple-barrier structures with arbitrary potential is studied systematically. The quasisymmetrical triple-barrier (QST) resonance mode and the quasi-asymmetrical double-barrier (QAD) resonance mode may both exist in asymmetric triple-barrier structures. The QST consists of two submodes: a normal mode (doublet) and a degenerate mode (singlet). The critical condition for distinguishing the two modes is examined. It is confirmed that there are both unity resonant transmission and below-unit resonant transmission in the asymmetrical triple-barrier structure. Furthermore, the wavefunctions of an electron at resonance level are calculated and the confining phenomenon is studied.     

Properties of Above-Barrier Electronic States in Multi-Barrier structures

In the present work we report the detailed study of the above-barrier electronic states in the multi-barher structures by using the transfer matrix technique. The energy levels and the corresponding wavefunctions are calculated by solving the Schrodinger equation directly. Andy tical analysis is presented confirming the formation of sub band structure, similar to that determined by Kronig-Penney model. Each subband contains N energy states with N being the number of periods in the structure. Furthermore, our calculations demonstrate that in each subband there is one energy state whose wavefunction is always localized in the barrier regions, while others remain partly localized in general. These localized states satisfy the constructive condition k_bb = nπ in consistence with experiments, where kb is the wave vector in the barrier region, b is the barrier width, and n is an integer.     

Intersubband photocurrent from double barrier resonant tunneling structures

Simple models of semiconductor-based double barrier resonant tunneling structures predict a large accumulation of charge carriers in the structure. These carriers can be excited optically from one subband to another generating photocurrent. In this work we have investigated the photo-induced current due to intersubband excitation in double barrier structures. We have found that the origin of the photocurrent is accumulation of quantized carriers in the emitter-barrier junction of the structure, rather than accumulation of carriers in the double barrier quantum well. This photon assisted tunneling process in double barrier structures may be used for infrared detection.     

A theoretical study of resonant tunneling characteristics in triangular double-barrier diodes

Resonant tunneling characteristics of triangular double-barrier diodes have been investigated systematically in this Letter, using Airy function approach to solve time-independent Schrödinger function in triangular double-barrier structures. Originally, the exact analytic expressions of quasi-bound levels and quasi-level lifetime in symmetrical triangular double-barrier structures have been derived within the effective-mass approximation as a function of structure parameters including well width, slope width and barrier height. Based on our derived analytic expressions, numerical results show that quasi-bound levels and quasi-level lifetime vary nearly linearly with the structure parameters except that the second quasi-level lifetime changes parabolically with slope width. Furthermore, according to our improved transmission coefficient of triangular double-barrier structures under external electric field, the current densities of triangular double-barrier diodes with different slope width at 0 K have been calculated numerically. The results show that the N-shaped negative differential resistance behaviors have been observed in current–voltage characteristics and current–voltage characteristics depend on the slope width.     

High intensity of interband transitions in double-barrier structures with a high-frequency electric field

A solution of a two-band analogue of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation describing resonance coherent electron interaction with a high-frequency field was found for a symmetric double-barrier structure, and an analytic expression was obtained for the small-signal conductivity proportional to the electron transition intensity. It was found that the high-frequency conductivity of double-barrier structures in the case of interband transitions could be significantly higher than in the case of intersubband transitions.     

非对称方势垒量子隧穿研究及其数值模拟

为解决传统量子力学方法在研究非对称双势垒问题上计算过于繁琐的问题,利用转移矩阵的方法分别研究了电子对于非对称单势垒和非对称双势垒的量子隧穿特性,对两种情况分别得出了简洁的透射率公式.数值计算结果表明,在合适的参数下,单、双结结构都表现出良好的电导开关效应,且在入射电子能量大于势垒高度时,透射系数呈现显著的周期变化的量子...     

Two-dimensional electron systems in inversion layers of p-type Hg0.8Zn0.2Te metal-insulator-semiconductor structures

Strong oscillations on capacitance and conductance have been observed in p-type Hg0.8Zn0.2Te metal-insulator-semiconductor structures, made by using a recent process for the interface passivation. This behaviour is attributed to a two-dimensional electron gas in the n-inversion layer and the variation of the conductance maximums with temperature indicates that the dominant perpendicular transport mechanism for electrons is an incoherent two-step tunnelling through deep levels in the gap. Three models have been used to describe the quantum confinement: the simple variational method, the triangular potential approximation and the propagation matrix method. The later approach takes into account the non parabolicity of the conduction band structure and uses a finite height barrier at the insulator-semiconductor interface. A very good agreement between experimental and calculated values for the two lowest subband energy is obtained. Received 9 February 1999     

Resonant tunneling field-effect transistors

We report an experimental project to incorporate double-barrier tunnel structures into three-terminal devices. These devices have the negative-differential-resistance (NDR) features of the double barrier, and the added flexibility of a third controlling electrode. One way to make such a device involves the series combination of a double-barrier tunnel structure with a field-effect transistor. We have realized this concept in two types of devices, using samples grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The devices consist of a GaAsAl_xGa_1−xAs double-barrier tunneling heterostructure, the current through which is controlled by either an integrated vertical field-effect transistor or a planar metal-semiconductor field effect transistor. The voltage location and peak-to-valley current ratio of the NDR present in the source-drain circuit can be modulated with gate voltage. Experimental results for four samples are presented.     

Intersubband transitions from the second subband in a coupled quantum wells structure

Asymmetrical coupled quantum wells structures with energy separation between the first two subbands of the order of 10–50 meV are key structures in the design of optically pumped intersubband lasers. In these structures the population of the second subband is not negligible and intersubband transitions from the second to higher excited subbands can be observed. In this work we investigate the temperature dependency of the intersubband transitions from the second subband in an asymmetrical coupled quantum wells structure. We show that this approach provides a direct way to measure the energy separation between the second subband and the Fermi energy which is a crucial parameter in the design of optically pumped intersubband lasers.     

Theoretical study of resonant tunneling in rectangular double-, triple-, quadruple-, and quintuple-barrier structures

The transmission coefficient and the resonance condition in the one-dimensional rectangular double-, triple-, quadruple-, and quintuple-barrier structures are derived theoretically under the assumption of the constant tunneling effective mass. It is found that the resonance energies are different from the eigenvalues in the quantum well due to coupling between wells in the multiple-barrier (much more than triple-barrier) structures. It is confirmed that the transmission spectrum is a Lorentzian near to energies of resonance.     

The effect of a transverse electric field on the electronic properties of an armchair carbon nanoscroll

In this work, we use the tight-binding model to study the low-energy electronic properties of carbon nanoscrolls subject to the influences of a transverse electric field. A carbon nanoscroll can be considered as an open-ended spirally wrapped graphene nanoribbon. The inter-wall interactions will alter the subband curvature, create additional band-edge states, modify the subband spacing or energy gap, and separate the partial flat bands. Furthermore, the energy band symmetry about the Fermi level is lifted by such interactions. The truncated Archimedean spiral ρ?=?r _a θ?+r is used to describe the spiral structures of carbon nanoscrolls. The energy gap is found to oscillate significantly with r, and exhibits complete energy gap modulations. With the inclusion of a transverse electric field, the band structures are further altered. Inter-wall hoppings will cause electron transfers between different atoms leading to distortions of the electron wavefunctions. The main features of the energy dispersions are directly reflected in the density of states. The numbers, heights, and energies of the density of states peaks are dependent on the electric field strength.     

Spin and valley dependent line-type resonant peaks in electrically and magnetically modulated silicene quantum structures

A barrier with a tunable spin-valley dependent energy gap in silicene could be used as a spin and valley filter. Meanwhile, special resonant modes in unique quantum structure can act as energy filters. Hence we investigate valley and spin transport properties in the potential silicene quantum structures, i.e., single ferromagnetic barrier, single electromagnetic barrier and double electric barriers. Our quantum transport calculation indicates that quantum devices of high accuracy and efficiency (100% polarization), based on modulated silicene quantum structures, can be designed for valley, spin and energy filtering. These intriguing features are revealed by the spin, valley dependent line-type resonant peaks. In addition, line-type peaks in different structure depend on spin and valley diversely. The filter we proposed is controllable by electric gating.     

周期激励下Chen系统的簇发现象分析

对于周期激励下的Chen系统,当激励项的频率和原系统的固有频率存在量级上的差异时,系统表现出两个时间尺度下的动力学行为.首先,将激励项作为一个变量对系统进行了分岔分析.然后应用快慢分析法探讨了在不同的参数条件下,激励项周期变化时产生的对称式折叠簇发、对称式亚临界Hopf簇发、对称式Hopf-同宿簇发现象及其产生机制.同时还讨论了激励幅值和频率对系统不同簇发的影响.     

双势垒InAs/InP纳米线异质结热电子制冷机

研究了具有不同温度和不同化学势的两个热库中电子通过一个双势垒InAs/InP纳米线异质结进行的传输.利用传输矩阵法得到了电子的传输概率,进而计算得到电子传输所产生的热流.通过数值计算给出了热电子制冷机的性能特征曲线.进一步分析了势垒宽度和势阱宽度对制冷机工作性能的影响.研究发现,当势阱宽度一定时,随着势垒宽度变大共振中心能级的位置变大,共振能级宽度变小,同一偏压对应的制冷率变小,相对制冷系数变大.当势垒宽度一定时,随着势阱宽度变大,同一偏压对应的相对制冷系数变小.当势垒和势阱宽度同时变化时,得到的曲线与势垒宽度一定势阱宽度变化时得到的曲线基本相似.这表明制冷率和相对制冷系数主要受势阱宽度变化的影响.