Silicon carbide (SiC) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are two materials
which have promising potential in electronics. Due to its large bandgap
and large thermal conductivity, SiC is targeted as a potential material
for use in high-power high-temperature electronics. Carbon
nanotubes are at the forefront of current research in nanoelectronics,
and field-effect nanotube transistors have already been developed
in research laboratories. The small dimensions of these materials
suggests their possible use in densely packed CNT-integrated
circuits. Carbon nanotubes also appear to have very large electron
mobilities, and may have applications in high-speed electronic devices.
In this work the properties of the electronic structure and electron
transport in silicon carbide and in semiconducting zig-zag carbon
nanotubes are studied. For SiC, a new method to calculate the bulk
band structure is developed. The conduction band minimum is found
to lie at the L and M points in the Brillouin zones of 4H and
6H-SiC respectively. The quasi-2D band structure of hexagonal
SiC is also determined for a number of lattice orientations. Electron
transport in SiC is investigated in the bulk and at the SiC/oxide
interface. The dependence of transport on the lattice temperature,
applied field, and crystal orientation is studied.
A methodology for semiclassical transport of electrons in
semiconducting carbon nanotubes is also developed. Monte Carlo
simulations predict large low-field mobilities (4000-13000 cm*cm/Vs)
agreeing with experiments. The simulations also predict high electron
drift velocities (500 km/s) and negative differential resistance