Fundamental Concepts of Charge Transport in Condensed Matter Materials: An Analytical Perspective
Author(s):
Q Zhang
Journal:
Journal of Physical Sciences and Advanced Materials
Abstract
This theoretical research article introduces an original conceptual framework the Transport Mode Continuum Theory (TMCT) that restructures the theoretical understanding of charge transport in condensed matter by unifying disparate mechanistic descriptions into a single analytical space. Rather than treating band-like, hopping, and polaron-assisted transport as competing alternatives, the framework positions them as points along continuous axes defined by coherence length, environmental coupling strength, and carrier density. The central theoretical contribution is the derivation of a "Transport Personality Index," a qualitative synthesizer that maps material systems onto archetypal transport regimes based on their positions within this three-dimensional conceptual space. Through logical analysis and conceptual synthesis, the study identifies four fundamental transport personalities Coherent Conductors, Coupled Carriers, Localized Hoppers, and Adaptive Hybrids and demonstrates that transitions between mechanisms represent continuous trajectories rather than discrete switches. The framework further reveals that emergence of unconventional transport phenomena, such as superquadratic carrier-density dependencies and anomalous temperature responses, arises from non-linear cross-domain coupling. This theoretical work is intentionally non-mathematical and non-experimental, focusing purely on analytical model development to provide early-career researchers with an integrative mental model applicable across materials classes, from crystalline semiconductors to disordered molecular solids.
Keywords:
charge transport, transport mode continuum, coherence length, environmental coupling, transport personality, condensed matter theory
DOI: