Quantum-kinetic theory of photocurrent generation via direct and phonon-mediated optical transitions

TL;DR

This paper develops a quantum-kinetic theory for photocurrent generation via direct and phonon-mediated optical transitions, validated against traditional methods and applied to simulate photocurrent in ultra-thin silicon devices.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum-kinetic framework within the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism for modeling optical transitions, extending beyond standard approaches.

Findings

Validated against Fermi-Golden-Rule in bulk case

Simulated photocurrent in ultra-thin silicon p-i-n junctions

Demonstrated applicability of quantum-kinetic theory to device modeling

Abstract

A quantum-kinetic theory of direct and phonon mediated indirect optical transitions is developed within the framework of the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism. After validation against the standard Fermi-Golden-Rule approach in the bulk case, it is used in the simulation of photocurrent generation in ultra-thin crystalline silicon p-i-n-junction devices.