This paper shows that various models of electron transport in semicond
uctors that have been previously proposed in the literature can be con
nected one with each other by the diffusion approximation methodology.
We first investigate the diffusion limit of the semiconductor Boltzma
nn equation towards the so-called ''spherical harmonic expansion model
,'' under the assumption of dominant elastic scattering. Then, this mo
del is again connected, either to the energy-transport model or to a '
'periodic spherical harmonic expansion model'' through a diffusion app
roximation, respectively making electron-electron or phonon scattering
large. We provide the mathematical background which makes the Hilbert
expansions associated with these various diffusion limits rigorous. (
C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.