Scattering reduction due to electron wave interference by periodic doping of impurity ions in semiconductors

Abstract

The scattering probability of a Fermi energy electron was analyzed for a semiconductor crystal where a finite number of doped impurity ions are placed periodically. Due to electron wave interference scattering for periodic placement is reduced in comparison with that for random placement. The scattering reduction depends on the boundary shape of the Brillouin zone of the superlattice of impurity ions, the number and the concentration of impurity ions and the propagation direction. When 2331 impurity ions are placed in 250 × 250 × 250 nm 3 (body-centered-cubic), the scattering probability for [111] propagation is 1 5 of that for random placement.