Multi-subband criterion for the design of a double-barrier quantum-well intrinsic oscillator

A method of enhancing a semiconductor-based signal source, said method comprising:

• forming a double barrier quantum well structure (DBQWS) comprising an emitter region, a collector region, and a first and second barrier region disposed between said emitter and collector region;
• creating an artificial barrier region adjacent said first barrier region;
• transforming said artificial barrier region into a shallow emitter quantum well (EQW) region;
• coupling said EQW to a main quantum-well (MQW) region;
• using energy subband coupling to induce quantum-based fluctuations in said EQW;
• creating intrinsic oscillations in electron density and electron current in said DBQWS, and forming a distinct subband structure based on said intrinsic oscillations.

A method of designing a double-barrier quantum-well intrinsic oscillator, said method comprising:

• developing an emitter quantum-well (EQW) from a double-barrier quantum-well system (DBQWS);
• coupling said EQW to a main quantum-well (MQW), wherein said MQW is defined by double-barrier heterostructures of a resonant tunneling diode in said DBQWS;
• using energy subband coupling to induce quantum-based fluctuations in said EQW;
• inducing intrinsic oscillations in electron density and electron current, wherein said intrinsic oscillations comprise maximum subband coherence, partial subband coherence, and minimum subband coherence;
• and
• forming a distinct subband structure based on said intrinsic oscillations.