Density-Gradient Theory: A Macroscopic Approach to Quantum Confinement and Tunneling in Semiconductor Devices

Abstract

Density-gradient theory provides a macroscopic approach to modeling quantum transport that is particularly well adapted to semiconductor device analysis and engineering. After some introductory observations, the basis of the theory in macroscopic and microscopic physics is summarized, and its scattering-dominated and scatteringfree versions are introduced. Remarks are also given about the underlying mathematics and numerics. A variety of applications of the theory to both quantum confinement and quantum tunneling situations are then reviewed. In doing so particular emphasis is put on understanding the range of validity of the theory and on its unexpected power as a phenomenology. The article closes with a few comments about the future.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA554803

Entities

People

  • Mario G. Ancona

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boltzmann Equation
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Computational Science
  • Differential Equations
  • Electron Density
  • Energy Bands
  • Engineering
  • Equations Of State
  • Field Effect Transistors
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Physical Theories
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Quantum Tunneling
  • Scattering
  • Semiconductor Devices
  • Semiconductors

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Quantum Dot Semiconductor Device Photonics and Graphene Optoelectronic Materials and THz Physics.
  • Theoretical Analysis.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Quantum Computing