Quantum transport in RTD and atomistic modeling of nanostructures
Abstract
As devices are scaled down to nanometer scale, new materials and device structures are introduced to extend Moore's law beyond Si devices. In this length scale, carrier transport moves from classical transport to quantum transport; material granularity has more and more impacts on performance. Computer Aided Design (CAD) becomes essential for both industrial and educational purposes. First part focuses on physical models and numerical issues in nano-scale devices modeling. Resonance Tunneling Diode (RTD) is simulated and used to illustrate phenomena in carrier transport. Non-Equilibrium Green's Function (NEGF) formulism is employed in quantum transport simulation. Inhomogeneous energy grid is used in energy integration, which is critical to capture essential physics in RTD simulation. All simulation results could be reproduced by developed simulators RTDNEGF and NEMO5. In nanostructures, device length becomes comparable to material granularity; it is not proper to consider materials as continuous in many situations. Second part of this work resolves this problem by introducing atomistic modeling method. Valley degeneracy in Si (110) QW is investigated. Inconsistency of experimental observations is resolved by introducing miscut in surface. Impacts of strain and electric field on electronic bandstructure are studied. Research of SiGe barrier disorder effects on valley splitting in Si (100) QW is then conducted. Behaviors of valley splitting in different well widths under electric field are predicted by atomistic simulation. Nearest neighbor empirical tight-binding method is used in electronic calculation and VFF Keating model is used in strain relaxation.
Degree
M.S.E.C.E.
Advisors
Klimeck, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Electrical engineering|Nanotechnology|Materials science
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