US3678302A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Solid state electronic device utilizing difference in effective mass
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1971-03-10
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Granted: 1972-07-18
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Expires: 1991-03-10
Abstract
Abstract A solid state electronic device comprising an element including two semiconductor crystal regions of different effective mass of carriers forming a junction therebetween, and electrodes for forming two orthogonal electric fields in said element, in which carriers may be totally reflected at the junction by controlling one of the two fields to cause an abrupt change in the current flowing through the element.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Kasano
- 👤 Masao Kawamura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 01:12
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N70/00; H10N80/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A solid state electronic device capable of controlling the carrier reflection at the interface of a pair of semiconductor crystal regions having the different effective mass of carriers comprising: an element body having at least a pair of regions joined with each other, each of said regions being made of a semiconductor crystal, said crystal being selected and arranged in such a manner that carriers passing across the interface of said joined rEgions have the different effective mass from each other in said two regions; a first circuit means for forming a current path for the carriers passing said interface; a second circuit means for forming a current path for the carriers which are reflected at said interface and drift only in one region having the larger effective mass of carriers; means for forming a plurality of electric fields in said element, at least one of said fields having a different direction from the rest, and the field strength of at least one of said fields being variable so that a resultant field of said fields may have the direction effecting the total reflection of carriers due to the difference of said effective masses at said interface, thereby causing an abrupt change of electric current in said current paths.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A solid state electronic device capable of controlling the carrier reflection at the interface of a pair of semiconductor crystal regions having the different effective mass of carriers comprising: an element body having at least a pair of regions joined with each other, each of said regions being made of a semiconductor crystal, said crystal being selected and arranged in such a manner that carriers passing across the interface of said joined rEgions have the different effective mass from each other in said two regions; a first circuit means for forming a current path for the carriers passing said interface; a second circuit means for forming a current path for the carriers which are reflected at said interface and drift only in one region having the larger effective mass of carriers; means for forming a plurality of electric fields in said element, at least one of said fields having a different direction from the rest, and the field strength of at least one of said fields being variable so that a resultant field of said fields may have the direction effecting the total reflection of carriers due to the difference of said effective masses at said interface, thereby causing an abrupt change of electric current in said current paths.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said element has only a pair of regions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said element body has three laminated regions so that two parallel interface are formed, the two outer regions of said three laminated regions being made of a same semiconductor material and arranged in a symmetric manner, the semiconductor for the middle region being so selected and arranged as to have a larger effective mass of carriers than said outer regions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
72 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said first circuit means is connected with a pair of contact means provided on the opposite end surfaces of said element which are parallel to said interface, and said second circuit means is connected with a second pair of contact means provided on the opposite end surfaces of one region having larger effective mass of carriers which are perpendicular to said interface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 4, wherein one of said field forming means is a first voltage source connected in said first circuit means, and the other of said field forming means is a second voltage source connected in said second circuit means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 5, wherein said second voltage source includes a pulse source generating pulses of various pulse height and said first voltage source is a variable DC source, whereby the pulses with a pulse height above a value corresponding to a given voltage of said DC source form the resultant field which causes said total reflection and produce a response in said second circuit means, and the pulses with a pulse height below said value produce a response in said first circuit means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 6, wherein said device includes a plurality of said elements, said elements being cascade-connected in such a manner that said second circuit means for said elements are in series connection with each other, and said pulse height causing said total reflection is made different in each of said element, whereby the pulse height discrimination may be effected by said series of elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 5, wherein said first voltage source includes a rectified AC voltage generator, and said second voltage source is a variable DC source, whereby said AC voltage may produce a current in said first circuit means at the voltage values in the range above a value corresponding to a given voltage of said DC source to cause the limitation of the AC current.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 5, wherein each of said first and second voltage sources is a variable DC source, and said first and second circuit means are connected with a common resistive means, whereby at a given voltage of said first voltage source, the current flowing through said resistive means exhibits a negative resistance characteristics against the voltages of said second voltage source due to said total reflection of carriers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said device further comprises a cavity resonator having said element therein and a microwave utilizing device coupled to said resonator, whereby the microwaves generated due to said negative resistance of said element are transmitted to and used in said utilizing device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
101 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said device further comprises means for applying a magnetic field to said element in the direction parallel to said interface and perpendicular to the line connecting said second contact means, and at a give voltage value of said first voltage source, the voltage of said second voltage source is set at the value slight below the onset of said negative resistance characteristics, whereby a Hall voltage induced by said magnetic field causes said total reflection of carriers to effect the abrupt reduction of said current flowing through said common resistive means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said region of larger effective mass of carriers is made of a mixed crystal, the composition of said mixed crystal being gradually varied in the direction perpendicular to said interface, whereby an inner electric field is formed in said mixed crystal and said inner field is used as one of said electric field.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said device includes means for applying a magnetic field to said element to form a Hall field in said element, and said magnetic means is one of said electric field forming means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
91 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 4, wherein said region of larger effective mass of carriers is made of n type GaSb of higher resistivity and said region of smaller effective mass of carriers is made of n type GaSb of lower resistivity, whereby for the proper voltage range applied in the vertical direction to said interface, the carriers in said region of higher resistivity are raised into a large effective mass band and the carriers in said region of lower resistivity remain in a small effective mass band.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
A solid state electronic device according to claim 4, wherein said region of larger effective mass of carriers is made of n type GaP, and said region of smaller effective mass of carriers is made of n type GaAs.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-18 | 1976-01-17 | 1976-07-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-18 | 1980-01-17 | 1980-07-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-18 | 1984-01-17 | 1984-07-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |