Semiconductor device and method

Claim 2

A semiconductor heterostructure device, comprising: a first conductive semiconductor layer of one conductivity type; a barrier layer disposed on said first semiconductor layer, said barrier layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms and being formed of an undoped semiconductor material having a wider bandgap than the material of said first semiconductor layer; a carrier transport layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms, disposed on said barrier layer, said carrier transport layer being formed of a semiconductor material having a narrower bandgap than the material of said barrier layer and a carrier concentration in the range 5×10 13 to 10 16 carriers per cubic centimeter; a semiconductor contact layer, of said one conductivity type, disposed on said carrier transport layer; and means for applying a negative potential to said semiconductor contact layer with respect to said first semiconductor layer; whereby, as said negative potential is increased, the increased field in the carrier transport layer will result in heated electrons in the carrier transport layer which cross over the barrier.

Claim 3

The device as defined by claim 1, wherein said barrier layer is formed of aluminum gallium arsenide, and said carrier transport layer is formed of gallium arsenide.

Claim 4

The device as defined by claim 1, wherein said barrier layer is formed of aluminum gallium arsenide, and said carrier transport layer, said first semiconductor layer, and said contact layer are formed of gallium arsenide.

Claim 5

The device as defined by claim 1, wherein said barrier layer and said carrier transport layer have about the same thickness.

Claim 6

The device as defined by claim 3, wherein said barrier layer and said carrier transport layer have about the same thickness.

Claim 7

The device as defined by claim 5, wherein said thickness is about 2000 Angstroms.

Claim 8

The device as defined by claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the current passing through said barrier layer.

Claim 9

The device as defined by claim 3, further comprising means for controlling the current passing through said barrier layer.

Claim 10

The device as defined by claim 7, wherein said controlling means comprises a gate electrode coupled to said barrier layer, and means for applying a signal to said gate electrode.

Claim 11

The device as defined by claim 8, wherein said controlling means comprises a gate electrode coupled to said barrier layer, and means for applying a signal to said gate electrode.

Claim 12

The device as defined by claim 7, wherein said controlling means comprises radiation applied to said device.

Claim 13

The device as defined by claim 8, wherein said controlling means comprises radiation applied to said device.

Claim 14

The device as defined by claim 1, further comprising one or more additional groups of barrier layer and carrier transport layer, as defined in said claim 1, disposed between said first-mentioned carrier transport layer and said contact layer.

Claim 15

The device as defined by claim 3, further comprising one or more additional groups of barrier layer and carrier transport layer, as defined in said claim 3, disposed between said first-mentioned carrier transport layer and said contact layer.

Claim 16

A semiconductor heterostructure device, comprising: a first conductive semiconductor layer of one conductivity type; a first barrier layer disposed on said first semiconductor layer, said first barrier layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms and being formed of an undoped semiconductor material having a wider bandgap than the material of said first semiconductor layer; a first carrier transport layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms, disposed on said first barrier layer, said first carrier transport layer being formed of a semiconductor material having a narrower bandgap than the material of said first barrier layer and a carrier concentration in the range 5×10 13 to 10 16 carriers per cubic centimeter; a second barrier layer disposed on said first carrier transport layer, said second barrier layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms and being formed of an undoped semiconductor material having a wider bandgap than the material of said first semiconductor layer; a second carrier transport layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms, disposed on said second barrier layer, said second carrier transport layer being formed of a semiconductor material having a narrower bandgap than the material of said second barrier layer and a carrier concentration in the range 5×10 13 to 10 16 carriers per cubic centimeter; a semiconductor contact layer, of said one conductivity type, coupled to said second carrier transport layer; and means for applying a negative potential to said semiconductor contact layer with respect to said first semiconductor layer.

Claim 17

A semiconductor heterostructure device, comprising: a first conductive semiconductor layer of one conductivity type; a first barrier layer disposed on said first semiconductor layer, said first barrier layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms and being formed of an undoped semiconductor material having a wider bandgap than the material of said first semiconductor layer; a first carrier transport layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms, disposed on said first barrier layer, said first carrier transport layer being formed of a semiconductor material having a narrower bandgap than the material of said first barrier layer and a carrier concentration in the range 5×10 13 to 10 16 carriers per cubic centimeter; a second barrier layer disposed on said first carrier transport layer, said second barrier layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms and being formed of an undoped semiconductor material having a wider bandgap than the material of said first semiconductor layer; a second carrier transport layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms, disposed on said second barrier layer, said second carrier transport layer being formed of a semiconductor material having a narrower bandgap than the material of said second barrier layer and a carrier concentration in the range 5×10 13 to 10 16 carriers per cubic centimeter; a semiconductor contact layer, of said one conductivity type, coupled to said second carrier transport layer; and means for applying a negative potential to said semiconductor contact layer with respect to said first semiconductor layer.

Claim 18

The device as defined by claim 15, wherein said barrier layers are formed of aluminum gallium arsenide, and said carrier transport layers, said first semiconductor layer, and said semiconductor contact layer are formed of gallium arsenide.

Claim 19

The device as defined by claim 2, wherein said first semiconductor layer and said semiconductor contact layer are both n-type.

Claim 20

A semiconductor heterostructure device, comprising: a first conductive semiconductor layer; a barrier layer disposed on said first semiconductor layer, said barrier layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms and being formed of an undoped semiconductor material having a wider bandgap than the material of said first semiconductor layer; a carrier transport layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms disposed on said barrier layer, said carrier transport layer being formed of a semiconductor material having a narrower bandgap than the material of said barrier layer and a carrier concentration in the range 5×10 13 to 10 16 carriers per cubic centimeter; a metallic ohmic contact layer disposed on said carrier transport layer; and means for applying a negative potential to said contact layer with respect to said first semiconductor layer; whereby, as said negative potential is increased, the increased field in the carrier transport layer will result in heated electrons in the carrier transport layer which cross over the barrier.

Claim 21

A semiconductor heterostructure device, comprising: a first conductive semiconductor layer; a barrier layer disposed on said first semiconductor layer, said barrier layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms and being formed of an undoped semiconductor material having a wider bandgap than the material of said first semiconductor layer; a carrier transport layer having a thickness in the range between about 200 and 5000 Angstroms disposed on said barrier layer, said carrier transport layer being formed of a semiconductor material having a narrower bandgap than the material of said barrier layer and a carrier concentration in the range 5×10 13 to 10 16 carriers per cubic centimeter; a metallic ohmic contact layer disposed on said carrier transport layer; and means for applying a negative potential to said contact layer with respect to said first semiconductor layer; whereby, as said negative potential is increased, the increased field in the carrier transport layer will result in heated electrons in the carrier transport layer which cross over the barrier.

Claim 22

The device as defined by claim 18, wherein said barrier layer is formed of aluminum gallium arsenide, and said carrier transport layer is formed of gallium arsenide.

Claim 23

The device as defined by claim 19, wherein said first semiconductor layer is formed of gallium arsenide.

Claim 24

The device as defined by claim 18, wherein said barrier layer and said carrier transport layer have about the same thickness.

Claim 25

The device as defined by claim 20, wherein said barrier layer and said carrier transport layer have about the same thickness.

Claim 26

The device as defined by claim 18, further comprising means for controlling the current passing through said barrier layer.

Claim 27

The device as defined by claim 18, further comprising one or more additional groups of barrier layer and carrier transport layer, as defined in said claim 18, disposed between said first-mentioned carrier transport layer and said contact layer.

Claim 28

The device as defined by claim 1, further comprising a semiconductor cap layer of said one conductivity type disposed on said first conductive semiconductor layer, said negative potential being applied to said cap layer with respect to said first semiconductor layer.

Claim 29

The device as defined by claim 25, wherein said barrier layer is formed of aluminum gallium arsenide, and said carrier transport layer, said contact layer, said first semiconductor layer, and said cap layer are formed of gallium arsenide.

Claim 30

The device as defined by claim 26, wherein said first semiconductor layer, said cap layer, and said contact layer are all n-type.