Optically controlled resonant tunneling electronic devices

Details Optically controlled resonant tunneling electronic devices Optically controlled resonant tunneling electronic devices

1989-01-09

1991-09-10

LaRoche, Eugene R.

357 17, 357 30, H01L 2712

Patent

active

050478109

ABSTRACT:
Resonant tunneling devices having an improved device switching speed are realized by including an optical control element rather than an electrical control element for switching the device from one stable state to the other. The resulting optoelectronic device including at least one double barrier quantum well semiconductor heterostructure is controllably switched from an active state to an inactive state and vice versa by impinging optical signals from an optical control element having a mean photon energy less than the bandgap energy of the double barrier quantum well semiconductor heterostructure, wherein the active state of the device exhibits conduction of charge carriers by resonant tunneling. Improvement in the switching speed occurs because the optical processes initiated by the optical control element are condsiderably faster than the electronic processes induced by prior art electrical control elements.

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A New Functional, Resonant Tunneling Hot Electron Transistor (RHET); Yoko Yama; Sep. 9, 1985, pp. 1+.
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