Multichannel tunneling in multiband heterostructures: Heavy-hole and light-hole transmission properties

Abstract

Based on the standard multiband Hamiltonians, the quadratic eigenvalue problem method and the multichannel transfer matrix technique, we develop a general approach to study multichannel-multiband transport properties through multilayered systems. In this approach we deal simultaneously with all the accessible physical channels. We are thus able to distinguish and to calculate transmission amplitudes, ${t}_{ij}$, for each pair $j,i$ of incoming and outgoing propagating modes. We apply this approach to study hole tunneling through single-barrier and multiple-barrier semiconductor heterostructures, modeled by a zero-biased $(4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}4)$ Kohn-Luttinger Hamiltonian. We calculate transmission coefficients and the Landauer conductance for systems with coupled and uncoupled channels. A very good agreement with experimental results is found when applied to double barrier resonant tunneling systems. We find interesting underbarrier interference and resonance effects.