Ballistic electrons : microscopy, spectroscopy, devices and luminescence

Abstract

This thesis describes research to theoretically model and experimentally measure electronic systems which employ ballistic electron emission. First, a Monte-Carlo framework for simulating electron injection from a tunnel junction emitter into a semiconductor collector is presented in detail and a few applications of this theory are described. Second, a method of treating ballistic electron transport through nano-scale heterostructures by considering realistic, atomic-scale periodic potentials is examined. Third, experimental results toward development of a novel scanning-probe microscopy for the local study of buried luminescent heterostructure layers is presented. Finally, a number of future research directions suggested by these results are described.