Three-Dimensional Time-Domain Quantum Simulation for Nanoscale Transistors

This paper describes a three-dimensional simulation of electron transmission through a nanoscale transistor using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The simulation begins by defining a wave packet that represents an electron at the transistor’s source, followed by modeling the electron’s interaction as it traverses the transistor’s channel to the drain. The software tools employed in this study implement a fully three-dimensional solution to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation, using finite-difference approximations for both temporal and spatial derivatives. The analysis of electron transmission enables the generation of current-voltage (I–V) characteristics under various gate and drain-source voltage conditions. Although the simulations focus on the dynamics of a single electron, the methodology can be extended to accommodate multi-electron systems through the incorporation of density functional methods.