In designing and optimizing new-generation nanomaterials and related quantum devices, dissipation versus decoherence phenomena are often accounted for via local scattering models, such as relaxation-time and Boltzmann-like schemes. Here we show that the use of such local scattering approaches within the Wigner-function formalism may lead to unphysical results, namely anomalous suppression of intersubband relaxation, incorrect thermalization dynamics, and violation of probability-density positivity. Furthermore, we propose a quantum-mechanical generalization of relaxation-time and Boltzmann-like models, resulting in nonlocal scattering superoperators that enable one to overcome such limitations.

Wigner-function formalism applied to semiconductor quantum devices: Need for nonlocal scattering models / Iotti, Rita Claudia; Dolcini, Fabrizio; Rossi, Fausto. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW. B. - ISSN 2469-9950. - STAMPA. - 96:11(2017), pp. 115420-1-115420-11. [10.1103/PhysRevB.96.115420]

Wigner-function formalism applied to semiconductor quantum devices: Need for nonlocal scattering models

IOTTI, Rita Claudia;DOLCINI, FABRIZIO;ROSSI, FAUSTO
2017

Abstract

In designing and optimizing new-generation nanomaterials and related quantum devices, dissipation versus decoherence phenomena are often accounted for via local scattering models, such as relaxation-time and Boltzmann-like schemes. Here we show that the use of such local scattering approaches within the Wigner-function formalism may lead to unphysical results, namely anomalous suppression of intersubband relaxation, incorrect thermalization dynamics, and violation of probability-density positivity. Furthermore, we propose a quantum-mechanical generalization of relaxation-time and Boltzmann-like models, resulting in nonlocal scattering superoperators that enable one to overcome such limitations.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11583/2679884
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