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:
Apr. 30, 1991
Filed:
Feb. 22, 1990
Northern Telecom Limited, Montreal, CA;
Abstract
A three terminal semiconductor device relies on resonant tunnelling through a quantum well resonator for its operation. The device has a first layer of a narrow bandgap semiconductor, a second layer of a narrow bandgap semiconductor, and a quantum well resonator between the first layer of a narrow bandgap semiconductor and the second layer of a narrow bandgap semiconductor. The quantum well resonator comprises a first layer of a wide bandgap semiconductor, a second layer of a wide bandgap semiconductor, and a third layer of a narrow bandgap semiconductor between the first layer of a wide bandgap semiconductor and the second layer of a wide bandgap semiconductor. All of the layers referred to above have a common conductivity polarity. The semiconductor device further comprises an electrical contact to the first layer of a narrow bandgap semicondcutor, an electrical contact to the second layer of a narrow bandgap semiconductor, and a terminal for applying a non-uniform electric field to the quantum well resonator to modulate resonant tunnelling characteristics of the quantum well resonator. The terminal for applying a non-uniform electric field to the quantum well resonator may comprise a field plate on the first layer of a narrow bandgap semiconductor, on the second layer of a narrow bandgap semiconductor. Alternatively, the terminal for applying a non-uniform electric field to the quantum well resonator may comprise a doped region extending into the third layer of a narrow bandgap semiconductor. The semiconductor device is useful in switching or logic applications, and in millimeter wave applications.