Numerical Simulation of Quantum Transport in Semiconductor Devices

加德纳9706792 电子在量子半导体器件（例如共振隧穿二极管、超晶格、HEMT和MODFET晶体管）中的传播可以被建模为在异质结势垒处具有不连续跳跃的电势中的连续带电量子气体的流动。 量子流体动力学方程可以通过假设气体接近热平衡来推导，但预计更普遍有效。 研究人员和他的同事专注于量子半导体器件中一维和二维空间电子流动的理论建模，模拟和分析，基于“平滑”量子流体动力学模型和量子动力学方程（包括Bloch方程和Wigner-Boltzmann方程）。 发展现代迎风数值方法模拟这些方程的高性能计算机上强调。 半导体器件--如共振隧穿二极管和晶体管--依赖于量子隧穿，在先进的微电子应用中发挥着越来越重要的作用，包括多态逻辑和存储器件以及高频振荡器。 研究人员通过量子流体动力学和量子动力学方程处理电子流来模拟量子半导体器件的行为。 该模型和数值方法在高性能工业计算机程序中实现，该程序可用于半导体制造业。 通过这种方式，半导体设计工程师可以在实际制造半导体器件之前在计算机上有效地探索各种器件材料和结构的行为。

Gardner 9706792 The propagation of electrons in quantum semiconductor devices (e.g. resonant tunneling diodes, superlattices, and HEMT and MODFET transistors) can be modeled as the flow of a continuous charged quantum gas in a potential that has discontinuous jumps at heterojunction barriers. Quantum fluid dynamical equations can be derived by assuming the gas is near thermal equilibrium, but are expected to be more generally valid. The investigator and his colleague focus on theoretical modeling, simulation, and analysis of the flow of electrons in one and two spatial dimensions in quantum semiconductor devices based on the ``smooth'' quantum hydrodynamic model and quantum kinetic equations (including the Bloch equation and the Wigner-Boltzmann equation). The development of modern upwind numerical methods for simulating these equations on high performance computers is emphasized. Semiconductor devices --- like resonant tunneling diodes and transistors --- that rely on quantum tunneling are playing an increasingly important role in advanced microelectronic applications, including multiple-state logic and memory devices and high frequency oscillators. The investigators model the behavior of quantum semiconductor devices by treating electron flow by means of quantum hydrodynamic and quantum kinetic equations. The models and numerical methods are implemented in a high-performance industrial computer program that can be used by the semiconductor manufacturing industry. In this way, semiconductor design engineers can efficiently explore the behavior of various device materials and structures on the computer before actually fabricating the semiconductor device.