Monte Carlo study of electron transport in monolayer silicene

Abstract

Electron mobility and diffusion coefficients in monolayer silicene are calculated by Monte Carlo simulations using simplified band structure with linear energy bands. Results demonstrate reasonable agreement with the full-band Monte Carlo method in low applied electric field conditions. Negative differential resistivity is observed and an explanation of the origin of this effect is proposed. Electron mobility and diffusion coefficients are studied in low applied electric field conditions. We demonstrate that a comparison of these parameter values can provide a good check that the calculation is correct. Low-field mobility in silicene exhibits temperature dependence for nondegenerate electron gas conditions and for higher electron concentrations, when degenerate conditions are imposed. It is demonstrated that to explain the relation between mobility and temperature in nondegenerate electron gas the linearity of the band structure has to be taken into account. It is also found that electron–electron scattering only slightly modifies low-field electron mobility in degenerate electron gas conditions.