Steady-state Electron Transport Research Articles

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) exhibits differential responses to salt stress and salt shock in electron transfer efficiency

The study of crop response to soil salinity has traditionally focused on the effects of varying salt concentrations, with less attention given to the methodologies of salt application. This research aimed to elucidate the differential impacts of two distinct salinity exposure methods on the photosynthetic characteristics of rice. Plants subjected to a gradual increase in salinity experience salt stress, whereas those immediately exposed to high salinity levels encounter a salt shock condition. Our findings revealed that rice plants accumulated comparable levels of shoot Na+ under both salt stress and salt shock at 4 and 10 days after the onset of stress. No significant differences were observed in the steady-state photosynthetic rate and electron transport rate (ETR). In contrast, salt stress markedly reduced the relative variable fluorescence at the ‘J’ step (Vj), thereby enhancing the probability of an exciton transferring an electron beyond the primary quinone electron acceptor (QA−) (ΨEo). This led to a notable increase in the activity of leaf photosystem II (PSII), as evidenced by the Performance Index on absorption basis (PIabs), which was twice as high as that of the control group. This mechanism is believed to facilitate the activation of alternative metabolic pathways. Additionally, kinetic measurements of light potential indicated that salt stress improved the initial induction of ETR after a brief exposure to high photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) compared to the control. This effect was not observed in the salt shock treatment group. Our results suggest that plants exhibit distinct physiological responses to salt stress versus salt shock, and the potential positive influence on leaf photosynthetic activity during salt stress may have been previously underestimated.

Thermoelectric properties of Marcus molecular junctions

In the present work we theoretically analyze thermoelectric transport in single-molecule junctions (SMJ) characterized by strong interactions between electrons on the molecular linkers and phonons in their nuclear environments where electron hopping between the electrodes and the molecular bridge states predominates in the steady state electron transport. The analysis is based on the modified Marcus theory accounting for the lifetime broadening of the bridge’s energy levels. We show that the reorganization processes in the environment accompanying electron transport may significantly affect SMJ thermoelectric properties both within and beyond linear transport regime. Specifically, we study the effect of environmental phonons on the electron conductance, the thermopower and charge current induced by the temperature gradient applied across the system.

Peculiarities of DNP-INT and DBMIB as inhibitors of the photosynthetic electron transport.

Inhibitory analysis is a useful tool for studying cytochrome b6f complex in the photosynthetic electron transport chain. Here, we examine the inhibitory efficiency of two widely used inhibitors of the plastoquinol oxidation in the cytochrome b6f complex, namely 2,4-dinitrophenyl ether of 2-iodo-4-nitrothymol (DNP-INT) and 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropylbenzoquinone (DBMIB). Using isolated thylakoids from pea and arabidopsis, we demonstrate that inhibitory activity of DNP-INT and DBMIB is enhanced by increasing irradiance, and this effect is due to the increase in the rate of electron transport. However, the accumulation of protons in the thylakoid lumen at low light intensity has opposite effects on the inhibitory activity of DNP-INT and DBMIB, namely increasing the activity of DNP-INT and restricting the activity of DBMIB. These results allow for the refinement of the conditions under which the use of these inhibitors leads to the complete inhibition of plastoquinol oxidation in the cytochrome b6f complex, thereby broadening our understanding of the operation of the cytochrome b6f complex under conditions of steady-state electron transport.

Single photon controlled steady state electron transport through a resonance DQD-Cavity system in a strong coupling regime

We perform theoretical calculations to study steady-state electron transport in a double quantum dot, DQD, coupled to a quantized cavity photon field both in resonance and off-resonance regimes considering weak and strong coupling. In the resonant strong coupling regime, photon exchanges between the energy states of the DQD and the cavity are found reflecting multiple Rabi-resonances. The electron occupation of the states and the transport current can be smoothly increased by tuning the cavity-environment coupling strength. Making the system off-resonant, but still in the strong coupling regime, the photon exchange is diminished and the electron occupation of the system and the transport current through it are prominent for high cavity-environment coupling strength. In the weak coupling regime between the DQD and the cavity, the system has almost the same response in the resonant and the off-resonant regimes at high values of the cavity-environment coupling strength.

Steady-state and transient electronic transport properties of β-(Al x Ga1–x )2O3/Ga2O3 heterostructures: An ensemble Monte Carlo simulation

The steady-state and transient electron transport properties of β-(Al x Ga1−x )2O3/Ga2O3 heterostructures were investigated by Monte Carlo simulation with the classic three-valley model. In particular, the electronic band structures were acquired by first-principles calculations, which could provide precise parameters for calculating the transport properties of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), and the quantization effect was considered in the Γ valley with the five lowest subbands. Wave functions and energy eigenvalues were obtained by iteration of the Schrödinger–Poisson equations to calculate the 2DEG scattering rates with five main scattering mechanisms considered. The simulated low-field electron mobilities agree well with the experimental results, thus confirming the effectiveness of our models. The results show that the room temperature electron mobility of the β-(Al0.188Ga0.812)2O3/Ga2O3 heterostructure at 10 kV⋅cm−1 is approximately 153.669 cm2⋅V−1⋅s−1, and polar optical phonon scattering would have a significant impact on the mobility properties at this time. The region of negative differential mobility, overshoot of the transient electron velocity and negative diffusion coefficients are also observed when the electric field increases to the corresponding threshold value or even exceeds it. This work offers significant parameters for the β-(Al x Ga1−x )2O3/Ga2O3 heterostructure that may benefit the design of high-performance β-(Al x Ga1−x )2O3/Ga2O3 heterostructure-based devices.

Thermoelectric transport within density functional theory

A new formalism to describe steady-state electronic and thermal transport in the framework of density functional theory is presented. A one-to-one correspondence is proven between the three basic variables of the theory, i.e., the density on as well as the electrical and heat currents through the junction, and the three basic potentials, i.e., the local potential in as well as the DC bias and thermal gradient across the junction. Consequently, the Kohn-Sham system of the theory requires three exchange-correlations potentials. In linear response, the new formalism leads to exact expressions for the many-body transport coefficients (both electrical and thermal conductances and Seebeck coefficient) in terms of both the corresponding Kohn-Sham coefficients and derivatives of the exchange-correlations potentials. The theory is applied to the Single Impurity Anderson Model, and an accurate analytic parametrization for these derivatives in the Coulomb blockade regime is constructed through reverse engineering.

The role of Cytochrome b6f in the control of steady-state photosynthesis: a conceptual and quantitative model

Here, we present a conceptual and quantitative model to describe the role of the Cytochrome hbox {b}_{6}hbox {f} complex in controlling steady-state electron transport in hbox {C}_{3} leaves. The model is based on new experimental methods to diagnose the maximum activity of Cyt hbox {b}_{6}hbox {f} in vivo, and to identify conditions under which photosynthetic control of Cyt hbox {b}_{6}hbox {f} is active or relaxed. With these approaches, we demonstrate that Cyt hbox {b}_{6}hbox {f} controls the trade-off between the speed and efficiency of electron transport under limiting light, and functions as a metabolic switch that transfers control to carbon metabolism under saturating light. We also present evidence that the onset of photosynthetic control of Cyt hbox {b}_{6}hbox {f} occurs within milliseconds of exposure to saturating light, much more quickly than the induction of non-photochemical quenching. We propose that photosynthetic control is the primary means of photoprotection and functions to manage excitation pressure, whereas non-photochemical quenching functions to manage excitation balance. We use these findings to extend the Farquhar et al. (Planta 149:78–90, 1980) model of hbox {C}_{3} photosynthesis to include a mechanistic description of the electron transport system. This framework relates the light captured by PS I and PS II to the energy and mass fluxes linking the photoacts with Cyt hbox {b}_{6}hbox {f}, the ATP synthase, and Rubisco. It enables quantitative interpretation of pulse-amplitude modulated fluorometry and gas-exchange measurements, providing a new basis for analyzing how the electron transport system coordinates the supply of Fd, NADPH, and ATP with the dynamic demands of carbon metabolism, how efficient use of light is achieved under limiting light, and how photoprotection is achieved under saturating light. The model is designed to support forward as well as inverse applications. It can either be used in a stand-alone mode at the leaf-level or coupled to other models that resolve finer-scale or coarser-scale phenomena.

Comprehensive Studies on Steady-State and Transient Electronic Transport in In0.52Al0.48As

High electron mobility transistors (HEMT) built using In\textsubscript{0.52}Al\textsubscript{0.48}As/In\textsubscript{0.53}Ga\textsubscript{0.47}As on InP substrates are a focus of considerable experimental studies due to their favourable performance for microwave, optical and digital applications. We present a detailed and comprehensive study of steady state and transient electronic transport in In\textsubscript{0.52}Al\textsubscript{0.48}As with the three valley model using the semi-classical ensemble Monte Carlo method and including all important scattering mechanisms. All electronic transport parameters such drift velocity, valley occupation, average electron energy, ionization coefficient and generation rate, electron effective mass, diffusion coefficient, energy and momentum relaxation time are extracted rigorously from the simulations. Using these, we present a complete characterization of the transient electronic transport showing the variation of drift velocity with distance and time. We have then estimated the optimal cut-off frequencies for various device lengths via the velocity overshoot effect. Our analysis shows that for device lengths shorter than $700$ nm, transient effects are significant and should be taken into account for optimal device designs. As a critical example, at length scales of around $100$ nm, we obtain a significant improvement in the cut-off frequency from $261$ GHz to $663$ GHz with the inclusion of transient effects. The field dependence of all extracted parameters here can prove to be helpful for further device analysis and design.

Electron transport within bulk cubic boron nitride: A Monte Carlo simulation analysis

Through the use of a semi-classical three-valley Monte Carlo electron transport simulation analysis, we analyze the nature of the steady-state and transient electron transport processes that occur within the zinc-blende phase of bulk boron nitride. For the purposes of our steady-state analysis, the dependence of the electron drift velocity on the applied electric field strength is examined. For our transient electron transport analysis, however, we study how an ensemble of electrons, initially in thermal equilibrium, i.e., zero-field, responds to the sudden application of a constant and uniform applied electric field. The results obtained, corresponding to the specific case of bulk zinc-blende boron nitride, are then contrasted with those corresponding to a number of other compound semiconductors of interest within the III–V nitride semiconductor genome.

How changes in the crystal temperature and the doping concentration impact upon bulk wurtzite zinc oxide’s electron transport response

ABSTRACTThe role that changes in the crystal temperature and the doping concentration play in shaping the character of the steady-state and transient transport response of electrons within bulk wurtzite zinc oxide will be examined. Monte Carlo electron transport simulations are drawn upon for the purposes of this analysis. We find that both the crystal temperature and the doping concentration greatly influence the character of the steady-state and transient electron transport response. In particular, for the case of steady-state electron transport, the peak drift velocity decreases by 30% as the crystal temperature is increased from 100 to 700 K, this decrease in velocity being only 20% as the doping concentration is increased from 1015 to 1019 cm-3. The impact on the transient electron drift velocity is not as acute.

A steady-state and transient analysis of the electron transport that occurs within bulk wurtzite zinc-magnesium-oxide alloys subjected to high-fields

ABSTRACTWe present some recently acquired results corresponding to the nature of the electron transport that occurs within bulk alloys of zinc-magnesium-oxide. These results are obtained using three-valley ensemble semi-classical Monte Carlo electron transport simulations. The impact that the magnesium content plays in shaping the form of the electron transport related characteristics associated with this alloy system is explored. Both steady-state and transient electron transport results are examined. The device implications of these results are then commented upon.

Current correlations for the transport of interacting electrons through parallel quantum dots in a photon cavity

We calculate the current correlations for the steady-state electron transport through multi-level parallel quantum dots embedded in a short quantum wire, that is placed in a non-perfect photon cavity. We account for the electron–electron Coulomb interaction, and the para- and diamagnetic electron–photon interactions with a stepwise scheme of configuration interactions and truncation of the many-body Fock spaces. In the spectral density of the temporal current–current correlations we identify all the transitions, radiative and non-radiative, active in the system in order to maintain the steady state. We observe strong signs of two types of Rabi oscillations.

Unified computational model of transport in metal-insulating oxide-metal systems

A unified physics-based model of electron transport in metal-insulator-metal (MIM) systems is presented. In this model, transport through metal-oxide interfaces occurs by electron tunneling between the metal electrodes and oxide defect states. Transport in the oxide bulk is dominated by hopping, modeled as a series of tunneling events that alter the electron occupancy of defect states. Electron transport in the oxide conduction band is treated by the drift–diffusion formalism and defect chemistry reactions link all the various transport mechanisms. It is shown that the current-limiting effect of the interface band offsets is a function of the defect vacancy concentration. These results provide insight into the underlying physical mechanisms of leakage currents in oxide-based capacitors and steady-state electron transport in resistive random access memory (ReRAM) MIM devices. Finally, an explanation of ReRAM bipolar switching behavior based on these results is proposed.

Electron transport within the wurtzite and zinc-blende phases of gallium nitride and indium nitride

Wide energy gap semiconductors are broadly recognized as promising materials for novel electronic and opto-electronic device applications. As informed device design requires a firm grasp on the material properties of the underlying electronic materials, the electron transport that occurs within the wide energy gap semiconductors has been the focus of considerable study over the years. In an effort to provide some perspective on this rapidly evolving and burgeoning field of research, we review analyzes of the electron transport within some wide energy gap semiconductors of current interest in this paper. In order to narrow the scope of this review, we will primarily focus on the electron transport that occurs within the wurtzite and zinc-blende phases of gallium nitride and indium nitride in this review, these materials being of great current interest to the wide energy gap semiconductor community; indium nitride, while not a wide energy gap semiconductor in of itself, is included as it is often alloyed with other wide energy gap semiconductors, the resultant alloy often being a wide energy gap semiconductor itself. The electron transport that occurs within zinc-blende gallium arsenide will also be considered, albeit primarily for bench-marking purposes. Most of our discussion will focus on results obtained from our ensemble semi-classical three-valley Monte Carlo simulations of the electron transport within these materials, our results conforming with state-of-the-art wide energy gap semiconductor orthodoxy. A brief tutorial on the Monte Carlo electron transport simulation approach, this approach being used to generate the results presented herein, will also be provided. Steady-state and transient electron transport results are presented. The evolution of the field, a survey of the current literature, and some applications for the results presented herein, will also be featured. We conclude our review by presenting some recent developments on the electron transport within these materials. This review is the latest in a series of reviews that have been published on the electron transport processes that occur within the class of wide energy semiconductor materials. The results and references have been updated to include the latest developments in this rapidly evolving field of study.

Synergistic effects of extreme temperature and low salinity on foundational macroalga Fucus vesiculosus in the northern Baltic Sea

Climate change has been identified as one of the biggest current drivers of environmental change. Climate model projections for the Baltic Sea forecast increased frequency and duration of extreme temperatures, together with declines in salinity, which are expected to have impacts on the biota. In this experimental study, the interacting effects of low salinity and short-term (8days) extreme seawater temperatures, followed by an 11-day recovery period, on the foundational macroalga, Fucus vesiculosus, were investigated. To account for potential variation in the responses at local scale, individuals originating from two different local populations, a warm and a cold site were included.In experiments manipulating temperature (20°C to 28°C) and salinity (4 or 6), it was found that even an 8-day exposure to 26°C or higher was detrimental to F. vesiculosus, causing extensive tissue necrosis. Tissue necrosis was enhanced by low salinity. Photosynthesis, measured as the steady-state electron transport rate (ETR) and maximum ETR, declined at 26°C, and this effect was also enhanced by low salinity. Temperatures above 26°C caused declines in light-limited photosynthetic efficiency (α), indicating direct physiological damage to PS II reaction centers.After 11days of recovery, some photosynthetic parameters recovered in the 26°C, but not in the 28°C treatment. It is concluded that Baltic F. vesiculosus populations may be severely affected even by short-term (8days) exposure to high seawater temperatures when combined with the synergistic effects of low salinity predicted for the future Baltic Sea.

(Invited) Zinc Oxide As a Potential Material for Future Electronic Device Applications

Zinc oxide is a II-VI compound semiconductor that is in possession of a unique constellation of interesting material properties. While at the present moment zinc oxide is primarily being used as an electronic material for low-field thin-film transistors, transparent conducting oxide contacts, sensing, and field emitter device applications, recent electron transport work has pointed to the potential of this material for high-field and high-frequency electronic device applications. In this paper, we present some recent results on the steady-state and transient electron transport within zinc oxide, suggesting that this material, having higher peak and saturation electron drift velocities than silicon carbide and gallium nitride, may also be considered as an alternative material to silicon carbide and gallium nitride for high-power and high-frequency field effect transistors. Limits on expectations for zinc oxide based device performance will be projected and contrasted with those expected for silicon carbide and gallium nitride based devices. Upon the basis provided by these results, possible future applications for zinc oxide based devices will be suggested.

Microwave-signal generation in a planar Gunn diode with radiation exposure taken into account

Microwave-signal generation in planar Gunn diodes with a two-dimensional electron gas, in which we previously studied steady-state electron transport, is theoretically studied. The applicability of a control electrode similar to a field-effect transistor gate to control the parameters of the output diode microwave signal is considered. The results of physical-topological modeling of semiconductor structures with different diode active-region structures, i.e., without a quantum well, with one and two quantum wells separated by a potential barrier, are compared. The calculated results are compared with our previous experimental data on recording Gunn generation in a Schottky-gate field-effect transistor. It is theoretically and experimentally shown that the power of the signal generated by the planar Gunn diode with a quantum well and a control electrode is sufficient to implement monolithic integrated circuits of different functionalities. It is theoretically and experimentally shown that the use of a control electrode on account of the introduction of corrective feedback allows a significant increase in the radiation resistance of a microwave generator with Schottky-gate field-effect transistors.

The sensitivity of the electron transport within bulk zinc-blende gallium nitride to variations in the crystal temperature, the doping concentration, and the non-parabolicity coefficient associated with the lowest energy conduction band valley

Within the framework of a semi-classical three-valley Monte Carlo simulation approach, we analyze the steady-state and transient electron transport that occurs within bulk zinc-blende gallium nitride. In particular, we examine how the steady-state and transient electron transport that occurs within this material changes in response to variations in the crystal temperature, the doping concentration, and the non-parabolicity coefficient associated with the lowest energy conduction band valley. These results are then contrasted with those corresponding to a number of other compound semiconductors of interest.

A sensitivity analysis on the electron transport within zinc oxide and its device implications

ABSTRACTZinc oxide has recently been touted as a material that may prove useful for high-power and high-frequency electron device applications. Unfortunately, at the present moment at least, zinc oxide’s electron transport results are based upon material parameter selections that remain disputed, i.e., their exact values have yet to be satisfactorily resolved. In order to establish how the expected range of disputed material parameter values influence the corresponding electron transport results, this paper assesses the sensitivity of the electron transport results associated with zinc oxide to variations in these disputed material parameters. The disputed material parameters that we focus on for the purposes of this particular analysis include the non-parabolicity coefficient associated with the lowest energy conduction band valley, the conduction band inter-valley energy separation, and the effective mass associated with the electrons in the upper energy conduction band valleys. For the purposes of this analysis, steady-state electron transport results are the focus of this sensitivity analysis, the velocity-field characteristic associated with zinc oxide being the principal metric of concern. We find that increases in the non-parabolicity coefficient associated with the lowest energy conduction band valley lead to increases in the peak field of the velocity-field characteristic and initially an increase and then a decrease in the peak electron drift velocity of this material. Increases in the conduction band inter-valley energy separation are instead found to result in increases in the peak field and concomitant increases in the peak electron drift velocity. Finally, increases in the effective mass associated with the electrons in the upper energy conduction band valleys are found to lead to a sharpening of the slope of the velocity-field characteristic in the region beyond the peak field, greater effective mass leading to a greater magnitude slope. Based on the magnitude of these variations, we conclude that zinc oxide may indeed be considered as a material for high-power and high-frequency electron device applications even when the variations in these disputed material parameters have been accounted for.

Electric-field distribution in a quantum superlattice with an injecting contact: Exact solution

A very simple model describing steady-state electron transport along a quantum superlattice of a finite length taking into account an arbitrary electrical characteristic of the injecting contact is considered. In the singleminiband approximation, exact formulas for the spatial distribution of the electric field in the superlattice are derived for different types of contact. Conditions under which the field is uniform are identified. Analytical expressions for the current–voltage characteristics are obtained. In the context of the developed theory, the possibility of attaining uniform-field conditions in a diode structure with a natural silicon-carbide superlattice is discussed.