Simulation of the Frequency Comb Induced by a Periodically Excited Tunnel Junction in Silicon

Abstract

In this article we use the ensemble Monte-Carlo method to study the frequency comb induced by a periodically excited tunnel junction on a semiconductor. The electron transport is modeled by solving the Boltzmann transport in p-type silicon doped with a concentration of 10^17 cm^-3. For a laser-pulse frequency of 100 MHz, we observe that, if the distance between the STM probe and the second electrode is under 1 μm and we apply a negative bias on the STM tip, the harmonics of the frequency spectrum are not reduced significantly by the electron diffusion and resistance spreading effects in the semiconductor. In this case we obtain a wide frequency comb spectrum, relatively similar to the ones measured experimentally in metals and other materials with high electron conductivity.