Calculation of electron transport in GaAs nanoscale junctions using first-principles

Electron transport properties of GaAs cluster, which is sandwiched between two semi-infinite Au(100)-3×3 electrodes in four different anchoring configurations (top-top, top-hollow, hollow-top, hollow-hollow), is investigated using the combination of density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function method. We optimize the geometry of junctions at different distances, simulate the breaking process of Au-GaAs-Au junctions, calculate the cohesion energy and conductance of the junctions as functions of distance dz, and obtain the most stable structure when the distances are set at 1.389 nm, 1.145 nm, 1.145 nm, 0.861 nm, respectively. For stable structures, the Ga-As bond lengths of the junctions is 0.222 nm, 0.235 nm, 0.227 nm, 0.235 nm, respectively. The equilibrium conductances are 2.33 G0, 1.20 G0, 1.90 G0, 1.69 G0,respectively. All junctions have large conductance. In the range of voltage from -1.2–1.2 V, the I-V curve of the junctions shows linear characteristics.