Analysis of the high-frequency performance of InGaAs/InAlAs nanojunctions using a three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulator

We report results from the investigation of the intrinsic high-frequency (HF) behavior of three-terminal junctions based on InGaAs/InAlAs heterostructures, using a well-calibrated three-dimensional semiclassical ensemble Monte Carlo simulation model. The simulator incorporates a more realistic surface charge model, designed specifically for HF simulations. A full analysis of the dynamics of electron transport in the devices is performed and a prediction of its intrinsic HF performance is presented. Simulation results demonstrate how these devices may be suitable for applications in the terahertz frequency range. Most importantly, we illustrate the important role played by surface charge effects in this frequency regime. The necessity of considering these effects as a key design factor for the development of future nanojunction structures operating in the terahertz regime is therefore discussed. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3248358]