Forming a Portion of Negative Differential Conductivity in the I–V Characteristic of Resonant-Tunneling Structures

• Published in: Surface investigation, x-ray, synchrotron and neutron techniques Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 176 - 180
• Main Authors: Kuimov, E. V., Vetrova, N. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.02.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Chemistry and Materials Science; Current voltage characteristics; Design parameters; Materials Science; Signal generators; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; oscillators; terahertz range; metastable states; negative differential conductivity; resonant-tunneling structures; hysteresis
• ISSN: 1027-4510; 1819-7094
• DOI: 10.1134/S102745102106032X

A portion of negative differential conductivity in the I‒V characteristics of resonant-tunneling structures is interesting as the working portion of high-frequency signal generators. However, at present, estimation of the current density in this portion for practical calculations faces certain difficulties. The phenomenological nature of the common models does not allow one to analyze and correct the calculation techniques according to physical considerations. The high requirements for computational resources prevent solution of the problems of the synthesis of design parameters to ensure the desired level of performances of resonant-tunneling devices during the design process. In this study, a compact current transport model is presented, which makes it possible not only to predict the initial portion of the I‒V characteristics of resonant-tunneling structures with high accuracy, but, owing to its simplicity and physical transparency, to obtain the I‒V characteristic of a resonant-tunneling structure with a relative error of ~1% within a time acceptable for engineering applications.