The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 17, 1988
Filed:
Apr. 06, 1987
T C Sollner, Winchester, MA (US);
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
Coupled quantum wells in which charge carriers shift from well to well by means of tunneling transfer. The quantum wells are created by disposing a material with lower carrier energy between layers of material with higher carrier energy. The spacing between wells is thin enough to allow tunneling transfer. The coupling of the wells displaces energy levels so that a system of N coupled wells has a spectrum of N energy levels. Under the proper conditions, transistions from one energy level to another result in the shift of charge carriers from one well to another. Because the tunneling transfer process is very fast, electronic devices capable of operating at terahertz frequencies are possible. Transistors, lasers, and detectors of electromagnetic radiation employing coupled quantum wells are disclosed.