Self-consistent simulation of corrugated layered structures

An efficient self-consistent 2-D Schrödinger/Poisson solver, including shifted periodic boundary conditions, is used to obtain the wavefunctions and energy levels in the quantum wires formed at the corners of periodic saw-tooth structures consisting of layers of Al_1-xGa_xAs and GaAs materials. We find that the formation of a quantum wire at the corners of the GaAs layer is very sensitive to the physical parameters of the neighboring Al_1-xGa_xAs layers. Simple potential models yield solutions which are qualitatively very different from self-consistent results. Electron population build-up in the GaAs region between the corners can be better controlled by using asymmetric doping. A direct consequence of the asymmetry is that in most cases there is electron confinement only at every other corner.