Modelling inter-dot Coulomb interaction effects in field effect transistors with an embedded quantum dot layer

By a computer simulation we study the real space and energy distributions of 0D electrons bound in a planar array of quantum dots, including both intra-dot charging and inter-dot Coulomb interaction effects, size fluctuations, as well as the screening by a parallel gas of 2D electrons. It is demonstrated that the mutual Coulomb shifts between different dots cause pronounced many-body correlation effects and in-plane potential fluctuations, which can be significant for experiments such as capacitance and tunneling spectroscopy. In addition we investigate the influence of charged dot scattering on the mobility of a conducting channel parallel to the dot layer.