Vertical transport and domain formation in multiple quantum wells

TL;DR

This paper reviews vertical transport in multiple quantum wells, presenting a parameter-free microscopical model that accurately predicts experimental phenomena such as current peaks, domain formation, and current oscillations.

Contribution

It introduces a new self-contained microscopical model for well-to-well currents that matches experimental data without fitting parameters.

Findings

Quantitative agreement with experimental current-field peaks

Prediction of stationary field domains in quantum well structures

Observation of self-sustained current oscillations

Abstract

In this book article effects related to the vertical transport in weakly coupled multiple quantum wells are reviewed. A self-contained microscopical model for the calculation of the well-to-well currents without any fittings parameters is presented. The model exhibits the well-known peaks in the current-field relation in quantitative agreement with experiments. This local current-field relation is used as an input for the calculation of the transport in the extended structure consisting of many periods. Here both the formation of stationary field domains as well as self-sustained current oscillations are found in good agreement with experimental data. The underlying physics of these nonlinear phenomena is discussed in detail.