US4550330A
Expired / Lapsed
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Semiconductor interferometer
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1984-06-29
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Granted: 1985-10-29
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Expires: 2004-06-29
Abstract
Abstract An interferometer is constructed by providing a bifurcated branch conductive path coplanar with a heterojunction in a semiconductor with a band discontinuity that produces a potential well so that electron wave conduction at the heterojunction can be locally influence with an electric field applied to one branch of the bifurcated path.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan B. Fowler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 09:35
CPC Classifications
B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/40; H10D30/43; H10D48/00; H10D48/383
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A signal translating device comprising in combination a semiconductor crystal having a region of a first band gap semiconductor epitaxially joined and forming a heterojunction with a second semiconductor having a second smaller band gap, a conducting path essentially coplanar with said heterojunction having bifurcated signal paths, each said bifurcated path length being of the order of several mean free paths of an electron in said semiconductor, and means for impressing a localized electric field on said heterojunction under one of said bifurcated signal paths.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
A signal translating device comprising in combination a semiconductor crystal having a region of a first band gap semiconductor epitaxially joined and forming a heterojunction with a second semiconductor having a second smaller band gap, a conducting path essentially coplanar with said heterojunction having bifurcated signal paths, each said bifurcated path length being of the order of several mean free paths of an electron in said semiconductor, and means for impressing a localized electric field on said heterojunction under one of said bifurcated signal paths.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said bifurcated paths are equal in length.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said first region is Ga 1-x Al x As and said second region is GaAs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said Ga 1-x Al x As region is made up of a high conductivity surface region over an undoped region and both regions are in the shape of a conducting path with bifurcated segments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
In a signal interferometer type structure wherein interference occurs between bifurcated branches of a conducting path, the improvement comprising the providing of electron wave conduction in a potential well under said bifurcated branches and further providing electrical alteration of the Fermi level in the potential well under one of said bifurcated branches.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
In a signal interferometer type structure wherein interference occurs between bifurcated branches of a conducting path, the improvement comprising the providing of electron wave conduction in a potential well under said bifurcated branches and further providing electrical alteration of the Fermi level in the potential well under one of said bifurcated branches.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
In an interferometer signal translator of the type where a signal is caused to pass along bifurcated segments of a conducting path, the improvement to impart responsiveness to a voltage signal comprising providing the conducting path of a semiconductor member having a coplanar heterojunction and providing a localized electric field across said heterojunction under a portion of one segment of said conducting path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
In an interferometer signal translator of the type where a signal is caused to pass along bifurcated segments of a conducting path, the improvement to impart responsiveness to a voltage signal comprising providing the conducting path of a semiconductor member having a coplanar heterojunction and providing a localized electric field across said heterojunction under a portion of one segment of said conducting path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The signal translator of claim 6 where the semiconductor is Ga 1-x Al x As and GaAs layers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
The signal translator of claim 7 where said GaAs is undoped and is separated from a substrate by a buffer layer of GaAs doped with Si to 10 17 atoms/cm 3 , and the Ga 1-x Al x As is undoped adjacent said heterojunction and has a region at the surface of Ga 0 .35 Al 0 .65 As doped with Si to 10 17 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The signal translator of claim 8 where the diameter of the bifurcated portion of said conductor is 3 microns and the L dimension of the gate producing said localized electric field is 2000 Å.
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) | 1988-10-28 | 1989-04-29 | 1989-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-10-28 | 1993-04-29 | 1993-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-10-28 | 1997-04-29 | 1997-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |