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Related Experiment Video

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Recombination Dynamics in Thin-film Photovoltaic Materials via Time-resolved Microwave Conductivity

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Published on: March 6, 2017

Steady-state current transfer and scattering theory.

Vered Ben-Moshe¹, Dhurba Rai, Spiros S Skourtis

¹School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.

The Journal of Chemical Physics

|August 17, 2010

Summary

This study compares steady-state and scattering theories for current transfer in coupled wires. Decoherence effects were analyzed, showing transmission depends on impurity energy relative to the band, impacting current efficiency.

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Area of Science:

Condensed matter physics
Quantum mechanics
Mesoscopic physics

Background:

Theories of current transfer in low-dimensional systems are crucial for understanding electronic transport.
Coupled tight-binding models offer a framework for studying electron behavior in 1D nanostructures.
Decoherence significantly impacts quantum phenomena, necessitating its study in transport models.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the correspondence between steady-state current transfer theory and scattering theory.
To investigate the influence of decoherence on electron transport in coupled 1D wires.
To analyze the role of impurities in modulating scattering and decoherence.

Main Methods:

Utilized coupled tight-binding models for 1D wires.
Employed a generalized Liouville-von Neumann equation for steady-state decoherence.
Studied a single impurity model to develop a lattice scattering model.

Main Results:

Steady-state and scattering theories yield similar results for weak interwire coupling, diverging at band edges.
Transmission coefficient decreases with increasing dephasing rate for impurity levels within the energy band.
Transmission coefficient increases with increasing dephasing rate for impurity levels outside the energy band.
Overall current transfer efficiency in coupled wires diminishes as dephasing increases.

Conclusions:

The study establishes a strong link between steady-state and scattering theories in coupled 1D systems.
Decoherence plays a critical role in modulating electron transport, with its effect dependent on impurity energy levels.
Impurity scattering and decoherence are intertwined, influencing both potential scattering and the overall dephasing rate, ultimately reducing current transfer efficiency.