Optoelectronic circuit employing a heterojunction thyristor device that performs high speed sampling

Abstract

An optoelectronic circuit employing a heterojunction thyristor device that is configured as an optically-controlled (or electrically-controlled) sampling/switching device. First and second channel regions are disposed between the anode terminal and the cathode terminal of the device, and an electrical input terminal and an electrical output terminal are coupled to opposite ends of the first channel region. At least one control signal is supplied to the device. When the control signal corresponds to a predetermined ON condition, sufficient charge is stored in the second channel region to cause the heterojunction thyristor device to operate in an ON state whereby current flows between the anode terminal and the cathode terminal and the electrical input terminal is electrically coupled to the electrical output terminal. When the control signal corresponds to a predetermined OFF condition, the heterojunction thyristor device operates in an OFF state whereby current does not flow between the anode terminal and the cathode terminal and the electrical input terminal is electrically isolated from the electrical output terminal. The control signal can be an optical sampling clock, a digital optical signal encoding bits of information, the combination of a digital optical signal and an optical sampling clock (which defines sampling periods that overlap the bits of information in the digital optical signal), or an electrical sampling clock.