Change of Microscopic Tunneling on a Macroscopic Time Scale: Current Surge Model

Abstract

The Current Surge model is proposed to calculate the tunneling current in multiple quantum well structures in the presence of a slow time-dependent electric field. The microscopic origin of a zero-bias residual current observed and reported previously A. Singh and D. A. Cardimona, Opt. Eng. (Bellingham) 38, 1424 (1999) is explored. The mystery of the observation of a microscopic tunneling change on a macroscopic time scale is uncovered, and the involvement of a very slow physical process is shown. Some new features, such as a current "ripple," a current instability, a current hysteresis, and a current "arch," are predicted and confirmed experimentally.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2000
Accession Number
ADA429636

Entities

People

  • Anjali Singh
  • D. A. Cardimona
  • Danhong Huang

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Electric Fields
  • Electronics Laboratories
  • Electrons
  • Equations
  • Hysteresis
  • Instability
  • Measurement
  • Nonlinear Dynamics
  • Observation
  • Quantum Tunneling
  • Quantum Wells
  • Residuals
  • Steady State
  • Three Dimensional
  • Tunneling

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Semiconductor Device Technology
  • Theoretical Analysis.

Technology Areas

  • Quantum Computing