A Mathematical Walk into the Paradox of Bloch Oscillations. Issue 5 (29th July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barletti, Luigi
• Is Part Of: Journal of computational and theoretical transport. Volume 50:Issue 5(2021)
• Page Start: 328
• Page End: 346
• Publication Date: 2021-07-29
• Subjects: Bloch oscillations -- semiconductors -- collisions -- transport -- diffusion; Transport theory -- Periodicals; Statistical physics -- Periodicals; Statistical physics; Transport theory; Periodicals; 530.138
• DOI: 10.1080/23324309.2020.1828470
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2332-4309

Abstract

Abstract: We mathematically describe the apparently paradoxical phenomenon that the electric current in a semiconductor can flow because of collisions, and not despite them. A model of charge transport in a one-dimensional semiconductor crystal is considered, where each electron follows the periodic Hamiltonian trajectories, determined by the semiconductor band structure, and undergoes non-elastic collisions with a phonon bath. Starting from the detailed phase-space model, a closed system of ODEs is obtained for averaged quantities. Such a simplified model is nevertheless capable of describing transient Bloch oscillations, their damping and the consequent onset of a steady current flow, which is in good agreement with the available experimental data.