Transient and steady-state analysis of electron transport in one-dimensional coupled quantum-box structures

Abstract

We investigate electron transport in one-dimensional coupled quantum-box (1D-CQB) structures at room temperature by using an iterative technique for solving the time-dependent Boltzmann equation. The scattering rates in the mini-Brillouin zone are characterized by several large peaks reflecting the singularities of the 1D density of states and the features of the miniband structure. As a result of Bragg reflection, the momentum distribution function deviates significantly from a displaced Maxwellian, with carrier accumulation at the miniband edges. Under the condition of suppression of optic-phonon scattering, the time evolution of the distribution function, and the electron velocity under high electric field undergo damped Bloch oscillations with a period of a few picoseconds. In the steady-state analysis, we found that the carrier mobility is a strong function of the structure confinement and periodicity parameters.