Modeling of transport through semiconductor quantum dots: an approach based on the direct solution of the coupled Poisson-Boltzmann equations

We report on a computational approach based on the self-consistent solution of the steady-state Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) coupled with the Poisson equation for the study of inhomogeneous transport in semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). The nonlinear, coupled Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) system is solved numerically using finite difference methods. Preliminary studies of high-field and high-temperature transport characteristics of sample QDs show a build-up of strong fields in the QD region, charge redistribution due to the applied and built-in field and interesting fine structure in the high-energy tail of the electron distribution function in the QD region.