Experimental determination of quantum-well lifetime effect on large-signal resonant tunneling diode switching time

Journal Article · Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4933258· OSTI ID:22482257

Growden, Tyler A.; Brown, E. R.; Zhang, Weidong ^[1]; Droopad, Ravi ^[2]

---

1. Departments of Physics and Electrical Engineering, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio 45435 (United States)
2. Ingram School of Engineering, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas 78666 (United States)

An experimental determination is presented of the effect the quantum-well lifetime has on a large-signal resonant tunneling diode (RTD) switching time. Traditional vertical In{sub 0.53}Ga{sub 0.47}As/AlAs RTDs were grown, fabricated, and characterized. The switching time was measured with a high-speed oscilloscope and found to be close to the sum of the calculated RC-limited 10%–90% switching time and the quantum-well quasibound-state lifetime. This method displays experimental evidence that the two intrinsic resonant-tunneling characteristic times act independently, and that the quasibound-state lifetime then serves as a quantum-limit on the large-signal speed of RTDs.

• OSTI ID: 22482257
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 107, Issue 15; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALUMINIUM ARSENIDES
LIFETIME
QUANTUM WELLS
QUASIBOUND STATE
SIGNALS
TUNNEL DIODES
TUNNEL EFFECT
VELOCITY