Numerical constraints and non-spatial open boundary conditions for the Wigner equation

We discuss boundary value problems for the characteristic stationary von Neumann equation (stationary sigma equation) and the stationary Wigner equation in a single spatial dimension. The two equations are related by a Fourier transform in the non-spatial coordinate. In general, a solution to the characteristic equation does not produce a corresponding Wigner solution as the Fourier transform will not exist. Solution of the stationary Wigner equation on a shifted k-grid gives unphysical results. Results showing a negative differential resistance in IV-curves of resonant tunneling diodes using Frensley’s method are a numerical artefact from using upwinding on a coarse grid. We introduce the integro-differential sigma equation which avoids distributional parts at $$k=0$$ k = 0 in the Wigner transform. The Wigner equation for $$k=0$$ k = 0 represents an algebraic constraint needed to avoid poles in the solution at $$k=0$$ k = 0 . We impose the inverse Fourier transform of the integrability constraint in the integro-differential sigma equation. After a cutoff, we find that this gives fully homogeneous boundary conditions in the non-spatial coordinate which is overdetermined. Employing an absorbing potential layer double homogeneous boundary conditions are naturally fulfilled. Simulation results for resonant tunneling diodes from solving the constrained sigma equation in the least squares sense with an absorbing potential reproduce results from the quantum transmitting boundary with high accuracy. We discuss the zero bias case where also good agreement is found. In conclusion, we argue that properly formulated open boundary conditions have to be imposed on non-spatial boundaries in the sigma equation both in the stationary and the transient case. When solving the Wigner equation, an absorbing potential layer has to be employed.