Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2016) 131: 17
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2016-16017-7

Regular Article

Effect of quantum force discontinuity on electron transmission across abrupt heterojunctions

¹ Mesoscopic and Multilayer Structures Laboratory (MMLS), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 417, West Region, Cameroon
² Department of Physics, H.T.T.C. Bambili, University of Bamenda, P.O. Box 39, North West Region, Cameroon

^* e-mail: vmercel@yahoo.com

Received: 26 September 2015
Accepted: 12 November 2015
Published online: 25 January 2016

Abstract

Matching conditions for the envelope function in the effective mass approximation are determined based on the feasibility of exactly solving the effective mass Schrödinger equation. The transmission and reflection probabilities for these conditions at an abrupt heterojunction are determined for a step mass and step potential and an alternative description of transport across the heterojunction based on the interplay between discontinuities of the quantum force and the effective mass is discussed.