Method and apparatus for effecting stable operation of resonant tunneling diodes
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorGary A. Frazier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circuit includes a resonant tunneling device having first and second terminals, and biased to exhibit a negative resistance between the terminals, the terminals being coupled at spaced locations to a further section made of a material which has a plasma resonance tuned to a selected frequency. A different circuit includes a resonant tunneling structure with plural layers, including an outer layer coupled to a further layer made of a material which has a plasma resonance tuned to a selected frequency. Two circuit sections are respectively coupled to the resonant tunneling structure at spaced locations thereon. A bias is applied across the tunneling structure and further layer, and causes the tunneling structure to exhibit a negative resistance.
Claims29
An apparatus comprising a circuit which includes:
- a resonant tunneling device having first and second terminals;
- a bias section biasing said resonant tunneling device for operation in a mode which exhibits a negative resistance between said first and second terminals;
- and
- a further section made of a material which has a plasma resonance tuned to a selected frequency, said first and second terminals of said resonant tunneling device being coupled to said further section at spaced locations thereon.
An apparatus comprising a circuit which includes:
- a resonant tunneling structure having a plurality of layers, including first and second outer layers;
- a further layer extending parallel to and electrically coupled to said first outer layer, said further layer being made of a material which has a plasma resonance tuned to a selected frequency;
- a bias section providing a bias between a side of said further layer remote from said first outer layer, and a side of said second outer layer remote from said first outer layer, said resonant tunneling structure being responsive to said bias for exhibiting a negative resistance between said first and second outer layers;
- and
- first and second circuit sections which are respectively coupled to said resonant tunneling structure at spaced first and second locations thereon.
A method comprising:
- providing a resonant tunneling device having first and second terminals;
- biasing said resonant tunneling device for operation in a mode which exhibits a negative resistance between said first and second terminals;
- coupling said first and second terminals to spaced locations on a further section which is made of a material having a plasma resonance;
- and
- tuning said plasma resonance of said further section to a selected frequency.
A method comprising:
- providing a resonant tunneling structure having a plurality of layers, including first and second outer layers;
- electrically coupling to said first outer layer a further layer which extends parallel to said first outer layer;
- selecting as a material for said further layer a material which has a plasma resonance;
- tuning said plasma resonance of said material of said further layer to a selected frequency;
- applying a bias between a side of said further layer remote from said first outer layer, and a side of said second outer layer remote from said first outer layer, said resonant tunneling structure responding to said bias by exhibiting a negative resistance between said first and second outer layers;
- and
- coupling first and second circuit sections to said resonant tunneling structure at respective spaced first and second locations thereon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.