A QUANTUM RANDOM-WALK MODEL FOR TUNNELING DIFFUSION IN A 1D LATTICE - A QUANTUM CORRECTION TO FICK LAW

Abstract

With the help of quantum-scattering-theory methods and the approximation of stationary phase, a one-dimensional coherent random-walk model which describes both tunneling and scattering above the potential diffusion of particles in a periodic one-dimensional lattice is proposed. The walk describes for each lattice cell, the time evolution of modulating amplitudes of two opposite-moving Gaussian wave packets as they are scattered by the potential barriers. Since we have a coherent process, interference contributions in the probabilities bring about strong departures from classical results. In the near-equilibrium limit, Fick's law and its associated Landauer diffusion coefficient are obtained as the incoherent contribution to the quantum current density along with a novel coherent contribution which depends on the lattice properties as [(1-R)/R]1/2.