Double-Peak N-Shaped Negative Differential Resistance in a Quantum Dot Field Effect Transistor

• Published in: Chinese physics letters Vol. 29; no. 8; pp. 87303 - 1-087303-4
• Main Authors: Xu, Xiao-Na, Wang, Xiao-Dong, Li, Yue-Qiang, Chen, Yan-Ling, Ji, An, Zeng, Yi-Ping, Yang, Fu-Hua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.08.2012
• Subjects: Barrier layers; Channels; Data storage; Field effect transistors; High speed; Quantum dots; Semiconductor devices; Voltage
• ISSN: 0256-307X; 1741-3540
• DOI: 10.1088/0256-307X/29/8/087303

Double-peak N-shaped negative differential resistance (NDR) with a high peak-to-valley ratio is observed in the output characteristics of a GaAs-based modulation-doped field effect transistor with InAs quantum dots in the barrier layer (QDFET). One NDR peak with a higher source-drain voltage V sub(DS) is explained as the real-space transfer (RST) of high-mobility electrons in the channel into the quantum dots layer, while the other with a lower V sub(DS) is caused by the high-mobility RST electrons in the channel into the modulation-doped AlGaAs barrier layer on the other side. We depict a point how a thinner Schottky barrier layer provides a stronger potential, opening a possibility of two-directional channel electron transfer when a much higher V sub(G) is applied. The result suggests that the QDFET can be an attractive candidate for high-speed logic application and memory devices.