Transverse momentum dependence of electron and hole tunneling in a full band tight-binding simulation [resonant tunnelling diodes]

Heterointerfaces, applied bias and built-in potentials break the symmetry of the crystalline lattice in a resonant tunneling diode (RTD) which causes a strong interaction of heavy-, light- and split-off hole bands. This interaction leads to hole transport paths which are significantly more complicated than the paths for electrons. Compared to a direct bandgap electron RTD where most of the carriers are transported straight through the structure (zero transverse momentum) it is shown here that in the hole case most of the holes are transported through the structure at an angle (non-zero transverse momentum) for a wide range of bias points