Resonant Zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode
Interband tunnelling of carriers through a forbidden energy gap, known as Zener tunnelling, is a phenomenon of fundamental and technological interest. Its experimental observation in the Esaki p-n semiconductor diode has led to the first demonstration and exploitation of quantum tunnelling in a cond...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Publishing Group
2016
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35734/ |
| _version_ | 1848795149970178048 |
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| author | Di Poala, D. M. Kesaria, M. Makarovsky, Oleg Velichko, A. Eaves, Laurence Mori, N. Krier, A. Patanè, Amalia |
| author_facet | Di Poala, D. M. Kesaria, M. Makarovsky, Oleg Velichko, A. Eaves, Laurence Mori, N. Krier, A. Patanè, Amalia |
| author_sort | Di Poala, D. M. |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Interband tunnelling of carriers through a forbidden energy gap, known as Zener tunnelling, is a phenomenon of fundamental and technological interest. Its experimental observation in the Esaki p-n semiconductor diode has led to the first demonstration and exploitation of quantum tunnelling in a condensed matter system. Here we demonstrate a new type of Zener tunnelling that involves the resonant transmission of electrons through zero-dimensional (0D) states. In our devices, a narrow quantum well of the mid-infrared (MIR) alloy In(AsN) is placed in the intrinsic (i) layer of a p-i-n diode. The incorporation of nitrogen in the quantum well creates 0D states that are localized on nanometer lengthscales. These levels provide intermediate states that act as “stepping stones” for electrons tunnelling across the diode and give rise to a negative differential resistance (NDR) that is weakly dependent on temperature. These electron transport properties have potential for the development of nanometre-scale non-linear components for electronics and MIR photonics. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:27:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-35734 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:27:30Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-357342020-05-04T18:06:33Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35734/ Resonant Zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode Di Poala, D. M. Kesaria, M. Makarovsky, Oleg Velichko, A. Eaves, Laurence Mori, N. Krier, A. Patanè, Amalia Interband tunnelling of carriers through a forbidden energy gap, known as Zener tunnelling, is a phenomenon of fundamental and technological interest. Its experimental observation in the Esaki p-n semiconductor diode has led to the first demonstration and exploitation of quantum tunnelling in a condensed matter system. Here we demonstrate a new type of Zener tunnelling that involves the resonant transmission of electrons through zero-dimensional (0D) states. In our devices, a narrow quantum well of the mid-infrared (MIR) alloy In(AsN) is placed in the intrinsic (i) layer of a p-i-n diode. The incorporation of nitrogen in the quantum well creates 0D states that are localized on nanometer lengthscales. These levels provide intermediate states that act as “stepping stones” for electrons tunnelling across the diode and give rise to a negative differential resistance (NDR) that is weakly dependent on temperature. These electron transport properties have potential for the development of nanometre-scale non-linear components for electronics and MIR photonics. Nature Publishing Group 2016-08-18 Article PeerReviewed Di Poala, D. M., Kesaria, M., Makarovsky, Oleg, Velichko, A., Eaves, Laurence, Mori, N., Krier, A. and Patanè, Amalia (2016) Resonant Zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode. Scientific Reports, 6 . e32039. ISSN 2045-2322 http://www.nature.com/articles/srep32039 doi:10.1038/srep32039 doi:10.1038/srep32039 |
| spellingShingle | Di Poala, D. M. Kesaria, M. Makarovsky, Oleg Velichko, A. Eaves, Laurence Mori, N. Krier, A. Patanè, Amalia Resonant Zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode |
| title | Resonant Zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode |
| title_full | Resonant Zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode |
| title_fullStr | Resonant Zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resonant Zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode |
| title_short | Resonant Zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode |
| title_sort | resonant zener tunnelling via zero-dimensional states in a narrow gap diode |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35734/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35734/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35734/ |