Harmonics produced by the nonlinearity in the current-voltage characteristics of a ballistic diode are studied for a GaAs sample of thickness 1 µm at 77 K under collision-free condition Harmonic generation is found to be maximum at zero bias, the value for the second-harmonic current being 50 percent for a signal amplitude of 02 V

To accurately analyze an arbitrary semiconductor structure which is intended as a seif contained device under various operating conditions, a mathematieal model has to be given. The equations which form this mathematieal model are commonly called the basic semiconductor equations. They can be derived from Maxwell’s equations (2-1), (2-2), (2-3) and (2-4), several relations obtained from solid-state physics knowledge about semiconductors and various — sometimes overly simplistic — assumptions. 

$$\text{rot}\,\vec H = \vec J + \frac{{\partial \vec D}} {{\partial t}}$$

(2-1)



$$\text{rot}\,\vec E = - \frac{{\partial \vec B}} {{\partial t}}$$

(2.2)



$$\text{div }\vec D = \rho$$

(2.3)



$$\text{div }\vec B = 0$$

(2.4)

$\vec E$ and $\vec D$are the electric field and displacement vector; $\vec H$and $\vec B$are the magnetic field and induction vector, respectively. $\vec J$denotes the conduction current density, and ρ is the electric charge density.

Harmonic generation due to ballistic electron transport in GaAs

Some Fundamental Properties

A simple formula is presented for the current-voltage relationship of the GaAs ballistic diode. Also, closed-form expressions are derived for the harmonics and intermodulation current contents resulting from exciting the diode by a multisinusoidal input voltage.

A nonlinear model for the GaAs ballistic diode

At low temperatures, a mean free path of electrons in semiconductors may exceed device dimensions. Current-voltage characteristics, potentials, electrical field, and carrier distributions are calculated for a two-terminal device under such conditions when the electron transport is ballistic. Current-voltage characteristics of a "ballistic" FET are analyzed using an approach similar to the Shockley model. It is shown that very high drift velocities can be obtained at low voltages leading to high speed and low power consumption in possible applications in logic circuits. For example, GaAs logic devices with characteristic dimensions about a micrometer or less at 77 K will be comparable with or better than Josephson tunneling logic gates.

Harmonic generation due to ballistic electron transport in GaAs

Citations

Some Fundamental Properties

A nonlinear model for the GaAs ballistic diode

References

Ballistic transport in semiconductor at low temperatures for low-power high-speed logic

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