Quantum electronic band to trap transitions in chalcogenides induced by electron-electron interaction

Charge transport in amorphous-chalcogenide materials used formanufacturing memory devices is determined by two mechanisms: hoppingof trapped electrons and motion of band electrons. Electron-electroninteraction is investigated here as one of the mechanisms mainlyresponsible for the trap-to-band transitions. The problem is tackledusing a fully quantum-mechanical approach by numerically solving thetwo-particle, time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. The results showthat the detrapping probability increases with the current density,this supporting the interpretation by which successiveelectron-electron scattering events may play a major role in thedetermining the snap-back of the $I(V)$ characteristic in this kind ofmaterials.