Time delay of wave packets during their tunnelling through a quantum diode

A modified saddle-point method is used to investigate the process of propagation of a wave packet through a quantum diode. A scattering matrix is constructed for the structure in question. The case of tunnelling of a packet with a Gaussian envelope through the diode is considered in detail. The time delay and the shape of the wave packet transmitted are calculated. The dependence of the delay time on the characteristics of the input packet and the internal characteristics of the quantum diode is studied. Possible applications of the results obtained are discussed.