Ab initio theories of electric transport in solid systems with reduced dimensions [Review]

摘要

Ab initio theories of electric transport in solid systems with reduced dimensions, i.e., systems that at best are characterized by two-dimensional translational invariance, are reviewed in terms of a fully relativistic description of the Kubo-Greenwood equation. As the use of this equation requires concepts such as collinearity and non-collinearity in order to properly define resistivities or resistances corresponding to particular magnetic configurations, respective consequences of the (local) density functional theory are recalled in quite a detailed manner. Furthermore, since theoretical descriptions of solid systems with reduced dimensions require quantum mechanical methods different from bulk systems (three-dimensional periodicity), the so-called Screened Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (SKKR-) method for layered systems is introduced together with a matching coherent potential approximation (inhomogeneous CPA). The applications shown are mainly meant to illustrate various aspects of electric transport in solid systems with reduced dimensions and comprise not only current-in-plane (CIP) experiments, but also current perpendicular to the planes of atoms geometries, consequences of tunneling, and finite nanostructures at or on metallic substrates. In order to give a more complete view of available ab initio methods also a non-relativistic approach based on the Tight Binding Linear Combination of muffin tin orbitals (TB-LMTO-) method and the so-called Kubo-Landauer equation in terms of transmission and reflection matrices is presented. A compilation of references with respect to ab-initio type approaches not explicitly discussed in here finally concludes the discussion of electric properties in solid systems with reduced dimensions. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. [References: 105]