Electron-phonon coupling in semiconductors and their nanostructures: effect on transport properties

Parameter-free description of the electron-phonon coupling is crucial for the simulation of the electron and thermal transport in materials, especially nanostructured ones. Recently, we have developed an \emph{ab initio} approach which allows to calculate the electron-phonon constants and scattering times for collisions of carriers in the conduction band with short-wavelength phonons [1,2]. We will present our results on the electron-short-wavelength phonon interaction in silicon, which enables us, on one hand, to shed new light on the transitions between shallow donor levels in doped Si [2], and, on the other hand, to improve the description of its electronic mobility [3]. Finally, we will discuss the effect of the material nanostructuring on the electron-phonon coupling constants, e.g. in semiconducting superlattices.\\[4pt] [1] J. Sjakste, N. Vast, V. Tyuterev, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 236405 (2007).\\[0pt] [2] V. Tyuterev, J. Sjakste, N. Vast, Phys. Rev. B 81, 245212 (2010)\\[0pt] [3] Z. Wang, S. Wang, S. Obukhov, N. Vast, J. Sjakste, V. Tyuterev, N. Mingo, submitted (2010)