Effects of atomistic defects on coherent electron transmission in Si nanowires: Full band calculations

The effects of atomistic imperfections on coherent electron transmission in Si[100] quantum wires a few nanometers wide are investigated using a tight -binding Green function approach. We find a significant suppression in the electron transmission by atomistic imperfections in these extremely narrow wires. Multiple conductance peaks or oscillations can be easily developed b y the presence of only several vacancy defects, which can lead to a finite zero-conductance region around the subband edge. Several substitutional def ects and surface dangling bonds generally result in decreased, oscillatory conductances with more significant effects found in narrower wires. (C) 200 1 American Institute of Physics.