OPTIMIZATION OF RESONANT INTERBAND TUNNEL DEVICES

RESONANT INTERBAND TUNNEL DIODES (RITD'S) ARE A NEW NEGATIVE RESISTANCE DEVICE, WITH POTENTIAL FOR VERY HIGH SPEED, LARGE PEAK TO VALLEY RATIOS, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR CUSTOMIZED I/V CURVES. THESE DEVICES ARE BELIEVED TO BE CAPABLE OF SWITCHING IN \2PS., OR OF OFFERING GAIN IN THE TERAHZ RANGE. POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS INCLUDE THE GENERATION, AMPLIFICATION, AND DETECTION OF TEREHZ RANGE SIGNALS, AND VERY HIGH SPEED LOGIC. WE PROPOSE TO CARRY OUT A RESEARCH EFFORT COMPOSED OF DEVICE MODELLING, AND DEVICE PHYSICS. THE DEVICE MODELLING WILL INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTER MODELS, WHICH COULD BE DEVELOPED FURTHER (UNDER PHASE II) INTO TOOLS USEABLE BY OTHER RESEARCHERS. THE DEVICE PHYSICS EFFORT IS INTENDED TO RESULT IN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HIGH SPEED THREE TERMINAL DEVICE FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.