3.5.3 Transfer-Matrix Method
The use of the transfer-matrix (TM) method for the calculation of the
transmission coefficient of energy barriers is based on the work of TSU and
ESAKI on electron tunneling through one-dimensional super
lattices [99]. It has been used by numerous authors to describe
tunneling processes in semiconductor
devices [140,141,142,143,144]. The basic
principle of the transfer-matrix method is the approximation of an
arbitrary-shaped energy barrier by a series of piece-wise constant or
piece-wise linear functions. Since the wave function in such barriers can
easily be calculated, the total transfer matrix can be derived by a number of
subsequent matrix computations. From the transfer matrix, the transmission
coefficient can easily be derived.
Subsections
A. Gehring: Simulation of Tunneling in Semiconductor Devices
