TY - JOUR
T1 - Resonant tunneling in step-barrier structures under an applied electric field
AU - Guo, Yong
AU - Gu, Bing Lin
AU - Yu, Jing Zhi
AU - Zeng, Zhong
AU - Kawazoe, Yoshiyuki
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1998/7/15
Y1 - 1998/7/15
N2 - Resonant tunneling in step-barrier structures is investigated by using the transfer-matrix technique. The formulas for the transmission coefficient and the current density are derived when taking into account the coupling between components of the motion of an electron in directions parallel and perpendicular to the interfaces. By making a detailed comparison of resonant tunneling among single square-barrier structures, asymmetric double-barrier structures, and step-barrier structures, the tunneling properties in step-barrier structures are revealed. It is shown that the global behavior of step-barrier structures obtained resembles that of asymmetric double-barrier structures, and step-barrier structures are superior to both single- and double-barrier structures in many aspects. In comparison to asymmetric double-barrier structures, step-barrier structures have several features, such as a wider negative-differential resistance region, easier fabrication, high-speed response, and a relatively lower transmission coefficient and current peak-to-valley ratios. Moreover, higher resonant bias is required in order to obtain optimal transmission resonances in the step-barrier structure. The results shown in this work not only shed new light on the physics of resonant tunneling in electric-barrier structures but are also helpful in designing quantum devices based on step-barrier tunneling structures.
AB - Resonant tunneling in step-barrier structures is investigated by using the transfer-matrix technique. The formulas for the transmission coefficient and the current density are derived when taking into account the coupling between components of the motion of an electron in directions parallel and perpendicular to the interfaces. By making a detailed comparison of resonant tunneling among single square-barrier structures, asymmetric double-barrier structures, and step-barrier structures, the tunneling properties in step-barrier structures are revealed. It is shown that the global behavior of step-barrier structures obtained resembles that of asymmetric double-barrier structures, and step-barrier structures are superior to both single- and double-barrier structures in many aspects. In comparison to asymmetric double-barrier structures, step-barrier structures have several features, such as a wider negative-differential resistance region, easier fabrication, high-speed response, and a relatively lower transmission coefficient and current peak-to-valley ratios. Moreover, higher resonant bias is required in order to obtain optimal transmission resonances in the step-barrier structure. The results shown in this work not only shed new light on the physics of resonant tunneling in electric-barrier structures but are also helpful in designing quantum devices based on step-barrier tunneling structures.
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U2 - 10.1063/1.368156
DO - 10.1063/1.368156
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0001688309
VL - 84
SP - 918
EP - 924
JO - Journal of Applied Physics
JF - Journal of Applied Physics
SN - 0021-8979
IS - 2
ER -