Electrical modelling of Si/SiO₂superlattices

Abstract

The current-voltage characteristics of Si/SiO2 superlattices are numerically computed as a function of a number of physical parameters such as the number of Si wells, the Si and SiO2 film thickness, the temperature, etc. It is assumed that the Si layers form two-dimensional systems, communicating to one another through tunnel SiO2 barriers, without quantum coherence between one Si well and its next nearest neighbours. From the numerical results, we derive a number of simple conclusions regarding the optimization of such confined structures, in view of maximizing their electroluminescence efficiency.