US3626328A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Semiconductor bulk oscillator
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1969-04-01
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Granted: 1971-12-07
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Expires: 1989-04-01
Abstract
Abstract The semiconductor bulk oscillator includes a body of semiconductor material which includes a superlattice portion across which an electric field is applied. The device responds to this field to produce bulk high-frequency oscillations. The superlattice portion has a one-dimensional periodic spatial variation in its band edge energy produced either by doping or alloying. The periodic variation in band edge energy provides in wave vector space a plurality of minizones which are much smaller than the Brillouin zone. A cavity-type structure is formed transverse to the superlattice portion of the device to extract outputs of electromagnetic energy at high frequencies obtained when an electric field above threshold is applied across the superlattice.
Inventors
- 👤 Leo Esaki
- 👤 Webster E Howard Jr
- 👤 Raphael Tsu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:25
CPC Classifications
B; B82; B82Y; B82Y20/00; H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/30; H01S5/34; H03; H03B; H03B9/00; H03B9/12; H10; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/80; H10D62/81; H10D62/815; H10D62/8161; H10D62/8162; H10D62/8164; H10D62/8171; H10N; H10N80/00; H01S5/3425; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/065; Y10S148/067; Y10S148/072; Y10S148/097; Y10S148/169
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A semiconductor oscillator comprising: a. a body of semiconductor material at least a portion of which extending in one direction includes a superlattice structure; b. said superlattice portion having a periodic variation in the electronic and physical character of the semiconductor material along the length thereof in said one direction for a plurality of spatial periods resulting in a spatial periodic variation in band edge energy and the production of minizones in k space which are smaller than the Brillouin zone in said material, and; c. means for applying to said superlattice portion a voltage in a range sufficient to produce bulk high frequency oscillations in said superlattice.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A semiconductor oscillator comprising: a. a body of semiconductor material at least a portion of which extending in one direction includes a superlattice structure; b. said superlattice portion having a periodic variation in the electronic and physical character of the semiconductor material along the length thereof in said one direction for a plurality of spatial periods resulting in a spatial periodic variation in band edge energy and the production of minizones in k space which are smaller than the Brillouin zone in said material, and; c. means for applying to said superlattice portion a voltage in a range sufficient to produce bulk high frequency oscillations in said superlattice.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The oscillator of claim 1 wherein said oscillations are high-frequency current oscillations produced within the superlattice itself in response to the applied voltage by the interaction of carriers in the superlattice with the periodic potential of the superlattice.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The oscillator of claim 1 wherein said superlattice Portion exhibits a direct current I-V characteristic which includes a positive going portion, followed by a negative going portion which includes a relatively flat portion, and a negative going portion, and said applied voltage is in the range of said relatively flat portion of said I-V characteristic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The oscillator of claim 9 wherein the frequency f of the oscillations increases with increasing applied voltage and the applied voltage is sufficiently large that the product of the scattering time Tau and omega , which is 2 pi f, is greater than 2 pi .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The oscillator of claim 1 wherein said body including said superlattice portion includes two contacts for applying a voltage to said superlattice, and one of said contacts is a blocking contact.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The oscillator of claim 5 including means for applying voltage pulses to said contacts to produce said bulk oscillations on a pulsed basis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
The oscillator of claim 1 wherein said oscillator includes two contacts on either side of said superlattice portion, said voltage is applied between said contacts and said frequency current oscillations are produced in a first direction extending through said superlattice between said contacts, said current oscillations producing an electromagnetic wave output which is transmitted in a direction at right angles to said first direction through the side of said superlattice, and including means responsive to said electromagnetic wave output.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The oscillator of claim 1 wherein said superlattice is entirely of one conductivity type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
114 words
A semiconductor oscillator comprising: a. a body of semiconductor material at least a portion of which extending in one direction includes a superlattice structure; b. said superlattice portion having a periodic variation in the electronic and physical character of the semiconductor material along the length thereof in said one direction for a plurality of spatial periods; c. means for applying a constant voltage signal across such superlattice portion to bias such superlattice portion to a voltage within a range of voltages at which said superlattice portion exhibits a spontaneous current instability which is manifested by spontaneous bulk high frequency current oscillations in said one direction; d. an output means responsive to said high-frequency oscillations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
114 words
A semiconductor oscillator comprising: a. a body of semiconductor material at least a portion of which extending in one direction includes a superlattice structure; b. said superlattice portion having a periodic variation in the electronic and physical character of the semiconductor material along the length thereof in said one direction for a plurality of spatial periods; c. means for applying a constant voltage signal across such superlattice portion to bias such superlattice portion to a voltage within a range of voltages at which said superlattice portion exhibits a spontaneous current instability which is manifested by spontaneous bulk high frequency current oscillations in said one direction; d. an output means responsive to said high-frequency oscillations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The oscillator of claim 9 wherein said output means is coupled electromagnetically to said oscillator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The oscillator of claim 9 wherein said inherent current oscillations in said one direction produce a high-frequency electromagnetic output which is radiated from said body in a second direction to said output means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
136 words
A semiconductor oscillator comprising: a. a body of semiconductor material at least a portion of which extending in one direction includes a superlattice structure; b. said superlattice portion having a periodic variation in the electronic and physical character of the semiconductor material along the length thereof in said one direction for a plurality of spatial periods resulting in a spatial periodic variation in band edge energy and the production of minizones in k which are smaller than the Brillouin zone in said material, and; c. means for applying to said superlattice an electric field producing voltage in a range in which said superlattice responds by spontaneously producing bulk oscillations; said oscillations being at a frequency dependent upon the applied voltage and being produced spontaneously and independently of a load connected to said body including the superlattice.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
136 words
A semiconductor oscillator comprising: a. a body of semiconductor material at least a portion of which extending in one direction includes a superlattice structure; b. said superlattice portion having a periodic variation in the electronic and physical character of the semiconductor material along the length thereof in said one direction for a plurality of spatial periods resulting in a spatial periodic variation in band edge energy and the production of minizones in k which are smaller than the Brillouin zone in said material, and; c. means for applying to said superlattice an electric field producing voltage in a range in which said superlattice responds by spontaneously producing bulk oscillations; said oscillations being at a frequency dependent upon the applied voltage and being produced spontaneously and independently of a load connected to said body including the superlattice.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The oscillator of claim 12 wherein the value of the spatial period d is no greater than one-fifth the carrier mean free path in said superlattice.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The oscillator of claim 13 wherein the value of the spatial period d is no greater than one-tenth the carrier mean free path in said superlattice.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-06 | 1975-06-07 | 1975-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-06 | 1979-06-07 | 1979-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-06 | 1983-06-07 | 1983-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |