Published April 16, 2008 | Version v1
Journal article

Definition of current density in the presence of a non-local potential

  • 1. Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui (China)
  • 2. Department of Physics, School of Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060 (China)
  • 3. Department of Physics and the Center of Theoretical and Computational Physics, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong (China)

Description

In the presence of a non-local potential arising from electron-electron interaction, the conventional definition of current density Jc = (e/2m)([(p-eA)ψ]*ψ-ψ*[(p-eA)ψ]) cannot satisfy the condition of current conservation, i.e., ∇ . Jc ≠ 0 in the steady state. In order to solve this problem, we give a new definition of current density including the contribution due to the non-local potential. We show that the current calculated based on the new definition of current density conserves the current and is the same as that obtained from the Landauer-Buettiker formula. Examples are given to demonstrate our results

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/19/15/155401

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1088/0957-4484/19/15/155401;
PII
S0957-4484(08)70657-3;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Nanotechnology (Print)
Journal Volume
19
Journal Issue
15
Journal Page Range
[5 p.]
ISSN
0957-4484