Nonequilibrium free energy, H theorem and self-sustained oscillations for Boltzmann-BGK descriptions of semiconductor superlattices

DOI10.1088/1742-5468/2011/01/P01018zbMATH Open1456.82935arXiv1011.3007MaRDI QIDQ3301209FDOQ3301209

Authors: M. Álvaro, L. L. Bonilla 

Publication date: 11 August 2020

Published in: Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Semiconductor superlattices (SL) may be described by a Boltzmann-Poisson kinetic equation with a Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook (BGK) collision term which preserves charge, but not momentum or energy. Under appropriate boundary and voltage bias conditions, these equations exhibit time-periodic oscillations of the current caused by repeated nucleation and motion of charge dipole waves. Despite this clear nonequilibrium behavior, if we `close' the system by attaching insulated contacts to the superlattice and keeping its voltage bias to zero volts, we can prove the H theorem, namely that a free energy $Phi(t)$ of the kinetic equations is a Lyapunov functional ($Phigeq0$, $dPhi/dtleq0$). Numerical simulations confirm that the free energy decays to its equilibrium value for a closed SL, whereas for an `open' SL under appropriate dc voltage bias and contact conductivity $Phi(t)$ oscillates in time with the same frequency as the current self-sustained oscillations.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1011.3007

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Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Statistical thermodynamics (82B30) Statistical mechanics of semiconductors (82D37)

Cites Work

• A Model for Collision Processes in Gases. I. Small Amplitude Processes in Charged and Neutral One-Component Systems
• The mathematical theory of dilute gases
• Nonequilibrium statistical mechanics
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• Kinetic relaxation models for energy transport
• Self-sustained current oscillations in the kinetic theory of semiconductor superlattices
• Nonlinear Electron and Spin Transport in Semiconductor Superlattices
• WIGNER–POISSON AND NONLOCAL DRIFT-DIFFUSION MODEL EQUATIONS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR SUPERLATTICES

Cited In (1)

• Self-sustained current oscillations in the kinetic theory of semiconductor superlattices

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