US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Vladimir V Mitin

Mitra Dutta

Michael A Stroscio

Rimvydas Mickevicius

Pankaj B Shah

Walter R Buchwald

Viatcheslav Kochelap

A high speed, compact and reliable semiconductor device for spatially switching light in optical switching networks, optical computers and optical interconnection networks is provided. The semiconductor device for spatially switching light comprises stacked P-anode, inner n-base, inner p-base and cathode layers, with an anode cathode on the P-anode layer defining a ridge. A low reverse bias is provided by a biasing means connected to a gate electrode disposed on a ledge of one base layer. A light emission region on the gate electrode side emits light, and a current flow induces a transversely flowing, narrow, light emitting channel that can be spatially shifted by switching the single gate electrode's bias. A high reverse bias also provides a spatially shifted light emission region in another part of the device's face. A cathode electrode is disposed on a portion of the bottom surface of the N-cathode layer, below the gate electrode and most of the cathode region below the ridge is not covered by the cathode electrode. Other embodiments include related variations, a semiconductor device for spatially switching light in a laser and a semiconductor device for spatially switching light in a selective amplifier for optical switching networks, optical computers, optical interconnection systems and related uses. The location of the cathode electrode is important because it induces the horizontal current flow in the cathode region, that is required for the existence of the transversely flowing, narrow, light emitting channel.

High speed, spatially switching light

A submatrix of semiconductor material contains plural electron conduction annels in either or both series and parallel arrangements. Electrons in the channels are confined by the submatrix and a surrounding main matrix provides photon confinement within the submatrix for nonequilibrium phonons which are mutually interchanged between channels. The confinement enhances the efficiency of energy and momentum transfer by means of nonequilibrium phonons. Embodiments of the invention as a transformer, bistable switch, controlled switch and amplifier are disclosed.

Interchannel nonequilibrium confined-phonon exchange device

A quantum wire embedded in another material or a quantum wire which is free standing. Specifically, the quantum wire structure is fabricated such that a quantum well semiconductor material, for example Gallium Arsenide (GaAS), is embedded in a quantum barrier semiconductor material, for example Aluminum Arsenide (AlAs). Preferably, the entire quantum wire structure is engineered to form multiple subbands and is limited to a low dimensional quantum structure. The dimensions of the quantum wire structure are preferably around 150.times.250 .ANG.. This structure has a negative absolute conductance at a predetermined voltage and temperature. As a result of the resonant behavior of the density of states, the rates of electron scattering in the passive region (acoustic phonon and ionized impurity scattering as well as absorption of optical phonons) decrease dramatically as the electron kinetic energy increases.

Growing community of inventors

Ferndale, MI, United States of America

Vladimir V Mitin