Self-Consistent Schrödinger-Poisson Study of Electronic Properties of GaAs Quantum Well Wires with Various Cross-Sectional Shapes

• Published in: Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 11; no. 5; p. 1219
• Main Authors: Gil-Corrales, John A., Vinasco, Juan A., Radu, Adrian, Restrepo, Ricardo L., Morales, Alvaro L., Mora-Ramos, Miguel E., Duque, Carlos A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 05.05.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Approximation; Carrier density; Circles (geometry); Cross-sections; Electron states; electronic structure; Finite element analysis; Finite element method; finite elements method; Low temperature; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Nanowires; Optoelectronics; Oscillations; Poisson equation; Quantum dots; Quantum wells; Quantum wires; quantum-well wires; self-consistent study; shape effects; Simulation; Symmetry; Triangles; Wire
• ISSN: 2079-4991; 2079-4991
• DOI: 10.3390/nano11051219

Quantum wires continue to be a subject of novel applications in the fields of electronics and optoelectronics. In this work, we revisit the problem of determining the electron states in semiconductor quantum wires in a self-consistent way. For that purpose, we numerically solve the 2D system of coupled Schrödinger and Poisson equations within the envelope function and effective mass approximations. The calculation method uses the finite-element approach. Circle, square, triangle and pentagon geometries are considered for the wire cross-sectional shape. The features of self-consistent band profiles and confined electron state spectra are discussed, in the latter case, as functions of the transverse wire size and temperature. Particular attention is paid to elucidate the origin of Friedel-like oscillations in the density of carriers at low temperatures.