Crossover from diffusive to ballistic transport in semiconductor nanostructures

Abstract

We present a detailed microscopic study of quasi-ballistic transport in deep submicron semiconductor channels. In particular, we study the crossover between the diffusive and ballistic regimes of transport and identify signatures in the electrostatic response, electron density, and nonequilibrium electron distribution function that are due to ballistic and diffusive transport, respectively. Our theoretical and computational approach is based on the Boltzmann transport equation for a nondegenerate electron system, together with the Poisson equation, from which we obtain the nonequilibrium electron distribution in a self-consistent way.