Resonant tunneling of electrons in Si/Ge strained-layer double-barrier tunneling structures

Resonant-tunneling characteristics of electrons in Si/Ge strained-layer double-barrier structures are investigated within an antibonding-orbital model. The model is capable of describing the low-lying conduction bands accurately throughout the entire Brillouin zone. J-V curves for some selected Si/Ge strained-layer double-barrier structures for three different crystallographic orientations are studied. Negative differential resistances are found for these structures grown along [001] and [111] directions, but not along the [110] direction.