InGaAs resonant tunneling transistors using a coupled-quantum-well base with strained AlAs tunnel barriers

• Published in: IEEE transactions on electron devices Vol. 41; no. 9; pp. 1498 - 1503
• Main Authors: Koch, S., Waho, T., Mizutani, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.09.1994; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuits; Diodes; Electronics; Electrons; Energy states; Exact sciences and technology; Gallium arsenide; Indium gallium arsenide; Molecular beam epitaxial growth; Resonance; Resonant tunneling devices; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Temperature; Transistors; Ternary compound; Resonant tunnel effect; Binary compound; Phototransistor; Experimental study; III-V compound; Bipolar transistor; Gallium Arsenides; Aluminium Arsenides; Strained quantum well; Indium Arsenides; Tunneling device; Electrical characteristic; Production process
• ISSN: 0018-9383; 1557-9646
• DOI: 10.1109/16.310099

A bipolar-type resonant tunneling transistor is studied of which the base is identical to a coupled quantum well. On the basis of the InGaAs material system strained AlAs tunnel barriers and a graded InGaAlAs emitter are used. Molecular beam epitaxy growth conditions are studied, showing a specific influence of growth temperature and arsenic pressure. We find clear evidence for resonant tunneling: a saturation of the collector current and a maximum of the transconductance with increasing base-emitter bias in a three-terminal transistor structure. A corresponding effect in a phototransistor structure is found as a maximum of differential current gain with increasing incident light intensity. Room temperature and low temperature (80 K) high-frequency properties are determined and are used to estimate the resonant tunneling time.< >