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.
Abstract:
A semiconductor switch, using transition metal oxides, is provided that can be made to undergo a very sudden metal-tosemiconductor transition as a function of an electric field instead of as a function of temperature. Certain transition metal oxides act like semiconductors having valence and conduction bands. When enough mobile charge carriers move into the conduction band, the gap between the conduction and valence band disappears and the metal oxide acts like a metal. The metal oxide, which is being held at a temperature very close to its transition threshold, is employed with an insulated electrode (serving as a gate) capable of supplying mobile carriers to the metal oxide. When a proper bias is applied to the gate electrode, the metal oxide is switched into its high-conduction (metal) state, allowing the flow of current therethrough.