Room temperature nonlinear transport in ballistic nanodevices

Abstract

We present a Monte Carlo analysis of InAlAs/InGaAs-based four-terminal ballistic rectifiers operating at room temperature. The rectifying effect is explained in terms of the vertical asymmetry of electron concentration originating, in the presence of ballistic transport, from the action of the obstacle located at the centre of the structure. An increase in temperature is found to degrade the performance of the structures as transport becomes more diffusive. Different geometries of the rectifier are analysed.