Electron transport through mesoscopic junctions revisited

TL;DR

This paper revisits the theoretical foundations of electron transport in mesoscopic systems, emphasizing the importance of electrostatic interactions and proposing modifications to existing models to better describe passive and active transport phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces the significance of electrostatic interactions and double layers in electron transport, challenging traditional noninteracting electron models and proposing phenomenological modifications.

Findings

Electrostatic interactions are crucial for accurate transport modeling.

Passive transport formulas need modification based on fundamental potentials.

Active transport can be driven by self-oscillating double layers.

Abstract

Theoretical foundations of electron transport in mesoscopic systems, based on Landauer theory, Master equations or Onsager linear thermodynamics, are revisited to show that the noniteracting electrons model is insufficient to describe neither passive transport, nor generation of electromotive force (active transport). It is argued that 2-body electrostatic interactions creating double layers and surface charge distributions are crucial for the electron transport through a junction. Phenomenological modifications of the passive transport formulas based on the carefull analysis of the fundamental notions of chemical, electrostatic, electrochemical, build-in potentials, band bending and bias voltage, are proposed. On the other hand active transport can be generated by a self-oscillating double layer (a pump ) driven by an external heat, light or chemical energy source.