Sam Bader edited subsection_Reduction_to_a_scattering__.tex  over 8 years ago

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\subsection{Reduction to a scattering problem}  To evaluate this integral, $k(x)$ should, in principle, come from the (complex) dispersion relation of the crystal (or some model thereof). In our approach, we will properly evaluate $k(x)$; however, it's worth noting the clever trick which Sze leverages to ignore the details of the dispersion and map the solution onto an introductory-level scattering problem. In explaining this point, we will consider only electrons with no transverse momentum, and we briefly restore the assumption of uniform electric field, $\xi(x)=\xi=E_G/q(x_c-x_v)$.  With the assumption of parabolic bands (both of effective mass $m^*$) for small $k$, one can analytically continue the dispersions $E(k)=E_v(x)-\hbar^2k^2/2m^*$, $E(k)=E_c(x)+\hbar^2k^2/2m^*$ onto imaginary $k$ to find valid solutions in the gap. (Note that this only holds near to the respective band edges because of the parabolicity assumption.) So, near $x_v$, we have $E=E_V(x)+\hbar^2|k|^2/2m^*=E-\xi(x-x_V)+\hbar^2|k|^2/2m^*$, $E=E_V(x)+\hbar^2|k|^2/2m^*$. Since $E_V(x_v)=E$, $E=E-\xi(x-x_V)+\hbar^2|k|^2/2m^*$,  ie $ik=\sqrt{2mq\xi(x-x_v)/\hbar^2}$. That is the same as the regular dispersion of an particle in a barrier $U(x)$ such that $U(x)-E=q\xi(x-x_V)$. Similarly, near $x_c$, we have $ik=\sqrt{2m^*q\xi(x_c-x)/\hbar^2}$, which is equivalent to a barrier $U(x)-E=q\xi(x-x_c)$. When the electron is deep into the tunneling region, the dispersion is more complicated but Sze just interpolates the simplest algebraic functional form for a barrier $U(x)$ which reproduces the correct dispersion near the edges. That is the quadratic: $$U(x)-E=\frac{(E_G/2)^2-(q\xi x)^2}{E_G}$$  So, in Sze's approximation, the transmission coefficient for interband tunneling is just given by the transmission coefficient of a particle with a familiar parabolic dispersion (and mass $m^*$) through the above potential barrier. Conveniently, this coefficient does not even depend on the energy of the tunneling electron (within the WKB approximation, for uniform fields, and ignoring transverse momentum).