Patent US2478600A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4198644A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4198644A
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Tunnel diode
Assignee: United States Department of the Army
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Filing: 1978-06-09
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Granted: 1980-04-15
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Expires: 1998-06-09
Abstract
Abstract A tunnel diode is disclosed wich includes a heterostructure consisting of airst layer of GaSb 1-y As y and a second layer of In 1-x Ga x As. It is also disclosed that other alloys of Group III and Group V materials can be employed in a tunnel diode of the instant invention.
Inventors
- 👤 Leo Esaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 17:02
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/80; H10D62/82; H10D62/824; H10D8/00; H10D8/70; H10D8/75; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/22; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2907; H10P14/2911; H10P14/2912; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3214; H10P14/3221; H10P14/3222; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3414; H10P14/3421; H10P14/3422
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A tunnel diode comprising: first and second layers of different semiconductor materials; the top of the valance band for the material of said first layer being at an energy between the energy of the bottom of the conduction band and the top of the valance band for the material of said second layer; the bottom of the conduction band for the material of said first layer being at an energy greater than the energy of the bottom of the conduction band for the material of said second layer; said first layer being degenerately doped with an excess of acceptors to the extent that the Fermi level lies in the valance band; said second layer being degenerately doped with an excess of donors to the extent that the Fermi level lies in the conduction band; and said first and second layers being interfaced to form a semiconductor heterojunction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
A tunnel diode comprising: first and second layers of different semiconductor materials; the top of the valance band for the material of said first layer being at an energy between the energy of the bottom of the conduction band and the top of the valance band for the material of said second layer; the bottom of the conduction band for the material of said first layer being at an energy greater than the energy of the bottom of the conduction band for the material of said second layer; said first layer being degenerately doped with an excess of acceptors to the extent that the Fermi level lies in the valance band; said second layer being degenerately doped with an excess of donors to the extent that the Fermi level lies in the conduction band; and said first and second layers being interfaced to form a semiconductor heterojunction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A tunnel diode according to claim 1, wherein the top of the valance band of said first layer is closer to the bottom of the conduction band of said second layer than it is to the top of the valance band of said second layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A tunnel diode as defined in claim 1, in which said layers are formed from different Group III-V alloys.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A tunnel diode as defined in claim 2, in which the first layer is an alloy of In 1-x Ga x As and the second layer is an alloy of GaSb 1-y As y ,
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
A tunnel diode as defined in claim 4, in which y=0.918x+0.082.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
US3626328A
Cited
US4088515A
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US3864721A
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US4137542A
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US4103312A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-04-15 | 1983-10-15 | 1984-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-04-15 | 1987-10-15 | 1988-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-04-15 | 1991-10-15 | 1992-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |