Amitabh Chatterjee

Abstract: The light emission process from a p-n junction in the forward-bias region is slow to respond to modulation signals due to the indirect band structure of silicon Experimental results for a reverse-bias region showing light modulation in the range of tens of gigahertz are observed for the first time For such a light emitter, the limiting speed of light modulation is shown to be determined by the transit time of the minority carriers across the junction during the filament formation of breakdown currents, which has been demonstrated by simulation of the propagation of a shockwave-like pattern in the breakdown field

Abstract: Barriers to the commercial implementation of optical interconnects between integrated circuits (ICs) center around the fabrication of optical elements on wafers through conventional Si processes. Most other approaches for optical interconnects use direct bandgap emitters that require drastic changes in conventional fabrication processes. In this work, we demonstrate the ability to transmit electrical signals using Si-based components, i.e., the light was generated by biasing a p-n junction at avalanche breakdown voltage, light was coupled through a fiber cable made of SiO/sub 2/, and detected by an Si-based avalanche photodiode. Results presented demonstrate the switching behavior of the light emitter, transmission of the signal across the fiber, and measurement of the signal limited by the bandwidth of the receiver amplifier.

Abstract: The principle of operation of the transistor-based Marx bank circuit has been examined. It was experimentally observed that stage-wise increase of reverse voltage does not occur. This cannot be explained by the principle of operation understood so far. A new explanation, consistent with the experimental observations and associating current-mode second breakdown of transistors, is proposed. A few experimental observations made by earlier workers have also been justified in light of the new current-controlled mechanism.

Abstract: In recent years, several experimental and simulation studies have been reported on the terahertz (THz) generation using a photoconductive antenna (PCA). The major problem with PCA is its low overall efficiency, which depends on several parameters related to a semiconductor material, an antenna geometry, and characteristics of the laser beam. To analyze the effect of different parameters on PCA efficiency, accurate circuit modeling, using physics undergoing in the device, is necessary. Although a few equivalent circuit models have been proposed in the literature, these models do not adequately capture the semiconductor physics in PCA. This paper presents an equivalent electrical circuit model of PCA incorporating basic semiconductor device physics. The proposed equivalent circuit model is validated using Sentaurus TCAD device level modeling tool as well as with the experimental results available in the literature. The results obtained from the proposed circuit model are in close agreement with the TCAD results as well as available experimental results. The proposed circuit model is expected to contribute towards future research efforts aimed at optimization of the performance of the PCA system.

Abstract: A second-breakdown phenomenon (It2) in a drain-extended n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (DENMOS) is associated with complex triggering of a parasitic bipolar transistor. Full comprehension of the problem requires 3-D modeling; however, there is even deficiency in the understanding of the phenomenon occurring in the 2-D cross-sectional plane. We present experiments and models to understand the physics of bipolar turn-on and its impact on the onset of space-charge modulation in a DENMOS device. We present a detailed analysis of the current paths involved during the bipolar turn-on. We show that a strong snapback is triggered due to coupling of the parasitic bipolar turn-on in a deeper region of the p-body and avalanche injection at the drain junction. Furthermore, we show that the ballast resistor formed in the drain region due to current crowding of electrons under high-current conditions can be modeled through a simplified 1-D analysis of the n+/n- resistive structure.

Abstract: Deposits of clastic carbonate-dominated (calciclastic) sedimentary slope systems in the rock record have been identified mostly as linearly-consistent carbonate apron deposits, even though most ancient clastic carbonate slope deposits fit the submarine fan systems better. Calciclastic submarine fans are consequently rarely described and are poorly understood. Subsequently, very little is known especially in mud-dominated calciclastic submarine fan systems. Presented in this study are a sedimentological core and petrographic characterisation of samples from eleven boreholes from the Lower Carboniferous of Bowland Basin (Northwest England) that reveals a >250 m thick calciturbidite complex deposited in a calciclastic submarine fan setting. Seven facies are recognised from core and thin section characterisation and are grouped into three carbonate turbidite sequences. They include: 1) Calciturbidites, comprising mostly of highto low-density, wavy-laminated bioclast-rich facies; 2) low-density densite mudstones which are characterised by planar laminated and unlaminated muddominated facies; and 3) Calcidebrites which are muddy or hyper-concentrated debrisflow deposits occurring as poorly-sorted, chaotic, mud-supported floatstones. These

Abstract: We describe the saturation properties and power scaling of large-aperture planar photoconducting antennas. These antennas have been used to emit and detect electromagnetic pulses with terahertz bandwidth. At high optical fluences, the amplitude of the radiated electric field saturates, at a value comparable to the bias field in agreement with a simple model of the radiation. We also discuss the saturation properties of the large-aperture photoconducting antennas with different semiconductor materials.

Abstract: Silicon avalanche light-emitting devices (Si Av LEDs) offer various possibilities for realizing micro- and even nano- optical biosensors directly on chip. The light-emitting devices (LEDs) operate in the wavelength range of about 450-850nm, and their optical power emitted is of the order of a few hundreds of nW/µm2. These LEDs could be fabricated in micro- and nano- dimensions by using modern semiconductor fabrication processing technologies through the mainstream of silicon material. Through a series of experiments, the dispersion phenomena in the Si Av LED are observed. Also, its light emission point was proved to locate at about one micron just below the silicon-silicon oxide interface. Subsequently, a micro-fluidic channel sensor was designed by using the dispersion characteristics owned by the Si Av LED. The analytes flowing through a micro-fluidic channel could be studied by their specific transmittance and absorption spectra. Moreover, simulations verify that a novel designed waveguide-based sensor could be fabricated on chip between the Si optical source and the Si P-I-N detector.

Abstract: The motivation of this study is to develop a p–n junction based light emitting device, in which the light emission is conventionally realized using reverse current driving, by voltage driving. By introducing an additional terminal of insulated gate for voltage driving, a novel three-terminal Si light emitting device is described where both the light intensity and spatial light pattern of the device are controlled by the gate voltage. The proposed light emitting device employs injection-enhanced Si in avalanche mode where electric field confinement occurs in the corner of a reverse-biased p+n junction. It is found that, depending on the bias conditions, the light intensity is either a linear or a quadratic function of the applied gate voltage or the reverse-bias. Since the light emission is based on the avalanching mode, the Si light emitting device offers the potential for very large scale integration-compatible light emitters for inter- or intra-chip signal transmission and contactless functional testing of wafers.