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Energy transport model with full band structure for GaAs electronic devices

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Abstract

Electronic band structure is incorporated into a versatile energy transport model that treats heat flow between mobile electron ensembles with the thermodynamic identity for ideal gases instead of an electron thermal conductivity. This alleviates the closure issue common to thermal conductivity models and is amenable to different forms of charge gas transport. This flexibility allows the model to accommodate band dispersions typical of semiconductors. A simulation scheme and the device equations for a generalized band structure are presented. The model is then implemented for GaAs using a band structure calculated with the empirical pseudopotential method. Comparisons to Monte Carlo for certain bulk GaAs test cases indicate that the model may capture hot electron effects with sufficient accuracy and reduced computational cost suitable for larger scale device simulation and design.

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  1. Air Force Research Laboratory, 2241 Avionics Circle, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 45433, USA

    Matt Grupen

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  1. Matt Grupen
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Correspondence to Matt Grupen.

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Grupen, M. Energy transport model with full band structure for GaAs electronic devices. J Comput Electron 10, 271–290 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-011-0364-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-011-0364-9

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