Controllable semiconductor element

Abstract

Controllable semiconductor element with an active semiconductor path controlled by means of conductivity modulation. The structure corresponds to a semiconductor arrangement with applied conductive strips. On the lower side of a semiconductor layer (1), a metal layer (2) is applied. The upper side is covered with an insulation layer (3) on which extends conductive strip (4). At the beginning of conductive strip (4) and beneath at metal layer (2), the input terminals (7) and (8) are provided. At the end of conductive strip (4) and beneath, at metal layer (2), output terminals (11) and (12) are arranged. Besides, at conductive strip (4) and metal layer (2), the control terminals (15) and (16) are applied. If at the two input terminals (7) and (8) an input signal is applied of a frequency which is higher than the dielectric relaxation frequency a corresponding wave propagates from the input along the semiconductive layer (1), and can be derived at the output as an output signal. If simultaneously a control signal is applied to the control terminals (15, 16) whose frequency is much lower than the relaxation frequency additional carriers are generated or deducted in the semiconductive layer (1), on the basis of the known field effect, as a function of the polarity of this control signal and the doping of the semiconductor layer. This means that the conductivity of the semiconductor layer (1) is modulated with the control signal frequency. The conductivity modulation effects a corresponding transit time modulation and/or amplitude modulation of the input signal transmitted via the semiconductor path to the output.