Distribution Function of Electron Velocity Perpendicular to the Driving Force in a Uniform Nonequilibrium Steady State

A macroscopically uniform model of a two-dimensional electron system is proposed to study nonequilibrium properties of electrical conduction. By molecular dynamics simulation, the steady state distribution function $P_y$ of electron velocity in a direction perpendicular to an external driving force is calculated. An explicit form of $P_y$ is determined within the accuracy of the numerical simulation, which fits the numerical data well even in the regime where a local equilibrium description is not valid. Although the entire structure of $P_y$ is different from that of a local equilibrium distribution function, the asymptotic structure of the tails of $P_y$ in the limit of large absolute values of the velocity is identical to that of a Maxwell distribution function with a temperature which is different from that in the equilibrium state and the kinetic temperature in the steady state.