US5023671A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Microstructures which provide superlattice effects and one-dimensional carrier gas channels
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1989-03-27
•
Granted: 1991-06-11
•
Expires: 2009-03-27
Abstract
Abstract Quantum mechanical effect devices incorporate means for interrupting the two-dimensional carrier gas of a modulation doped structure to produce periodic potential variations which provide superlattice-like effects on current flowing nearby. The modulation doped structures incorporate specialized structures displaced from a current path which simultaneously confine the two-dimensional carrier gas into a quasi-one-dimensional carrier gas and subject the thus confined carrier gas and current flowing therein to superlattice-like effects by inducing periodic potential variations along the current path. The induced variations are produced by etching corrugations in the device edges or by forming them in biasing gates.
Inventors
- 👤 David P. DiVincenzo
- 👤 Kim Y. Lee
- 👤 Theoren P. Smith, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 12:30
CPC Classifications
B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/40; H10D30/43; H10D62/00; H10D62/80; H10D62/81; H10D62/815; H10D62/8181
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A quantum mechanical effect device comprising a layer of a wide band gap compound semiconductor material having a given longitudinal axis in the direction of current flow and edges parallel to said axis and a doped upper portion, a substrate of a narrower band gap compound semiconductor material forming an interface with said layer and a two-dimensional carrier gas adjacent said interface, and means laterally displaced from said given longitudinal axis disposed over said substrate for periodically interrupting said two-dimensional carrier gas to form a continuous, quasi-one-dimensional channel parallel to said given axis and for subjecting said channel to periodic potential variations along the length thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
A quantum mechanical effect device comprising a layer of a wide band gap compound semiconductor material having a given longitudinal axis in the direction of current flow and edges parallel to said axis and a doped upper portion, a substrate of a narrower band gap compound semiconductor material forming an interface with said layer and a two-dimensional carrier gas adjacent said interface, and means laterally displaced from said given longitudinal axis disposed over said substrate for periodically interrupting said two-dimensional carrier gas to form a continuous, quasi-one-dimensional channel parallel to said given axis and for subjecting said channel to periodic potential variations along the length thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes means for maintaining portions of said two-dimensional gas extending outwardly from the vicinity of said given longitudinal axis to at least one of said edges.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes means for depleting portions of said two-dimensional gas extending inwardly from at least one of said edges to the vicinity of said given longitudinal axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 further including a pair of electrodes connected to the end portions of said device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes a plurality of rectilinear corrugations disposed periodically in said doped upper portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes a plurality of scallops disposed periodically in said doped upper portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1, wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes a plurality of protuberances and indentations of sinusoidal shape disposed periodically in said doped upper portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes a plurality of protuberances and indentations of saw-tooth shape disposed periodically in said doped upper portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes a plurality of alternating protuberances and indentations disposed periodically in said doped upper portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes at least a gate electrode having a plurality of alternating protuberances and indentations disposed periodically therein.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes at least a gate electrode having a plurality of protuberances and indentations of saw-tooth shape disposed periodically therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes at least a gate electrode having a plurality of protuberances and indentations of sinusoidal shape disposed periodically therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes at least a gate electrode having a plurality of scallops disposed periodically therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said means for interrupting and forming includes at least a gate electrode having a plurality of rectilinear corrugations disposed periodically therein.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 further including biasing means disposed over said means for interrupting.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said wide band gap and narrower band gap compound semiconductor materials are made from Groups III and V of the Periodic Table of Elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 1 wherein said wide band gap compound semiconductor material is gallium aluminum arsenide and said narrower band gap compound semiconductor material is gallium arsenide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 2 wherein said means for maintaining includes a plurality of rectilinear corrugations disposed periodically in said doped upper portion.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 2 wherein said means for maintaining includes a plurality of scallops disposed periodically in said doped upper portion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 2 wherein said means for maintaining includes a plurality of protuberances and indentations of sinusoidal shape disposed periodically in said doped upper portion.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 2 wherein said means for maintaining includes a plurality of protuberances and indentations of saw-tooth shape disposed periodically in said doped upper portion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 2 wherein said means for maintaining includes a plurality of alternating protuberances and indentations of saw-tooth shape disposed periodically in said doped upper portion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 2 further including a pair of contacts connected to said device.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 2 wherein said wide band gap and narrower band gap compound semiconductor materials are made from elements of Groups III and V of the Periodic Table of Elements.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 2 wherein said wide band gap compound semiconductor material is gallium aluminum arsenide and said narrower band gap compound semiconductor material is gallium arsenide.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 2 further including biasing means disposed over said means for maintaining.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 3 wherein said means for depleting includes at least a gate electrode having a plurality of alternating protuberances and indentations disposed periodically therein.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 3 wherein said means for depleting includes at least a gate electrode having a plurality of protuberances and indentations of saw-tooth shape disposed periodically therein.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 3 wherein said means for depleting includes at least a gate electrode having a plurality of protuberances and indentations of sinusoidal shape disposed periodically therein.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 3 wherein said means for depleting includes at least a gate electrode having a plurality of scallops disposed periodically therein.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 3 wherein said means for depleting includes at least a gate electrode having a plurality of rectilinear corrugations disposed periodically therein.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 3 further including biasing means connected to said means for depleting.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 3 further including a pair of contacts connected to said device.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
36 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 3 wherein said wide band gap and narrower band gap compound semiconductor materials are made from elements of Groups III and V of the Periodic Table of Elements.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
32 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 3 wherein said wide band gap compound semiconductor material is gallium aluminum arsenide and said narrower band gap compound semiconductor material is gallium arsenide.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
19 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 3 further including biasing means disposed over said means for depleting.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 4 further including biasing means disposed over said means for interrupting and forming.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
26 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 15 wherein said biasing means disposed over said means for interrupting and forming includes a Schottky barrier electrode.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
19 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 23 further including biasing means disposed over said means for maintaining.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
18 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 26 wherein said biasing means is a Schottky barrier electrode.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
19 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 33 further including biasing means disposed over said means for depleting.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
18 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 36 wherein said biasing means is a Schottky barrier electrode.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 37 wherein said biasing means includes a Schottky barrier electrode.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
18 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 39 wherein said biasing means is a Schottky barrier electrode.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
18 words
A quantum mechanical effect device according to claim 41 wherein said biasing means is a Schottky barrier electrode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4758868A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-06-10 | 1994-12-10 | 1995-06-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-06-10 | 1998-12-10 | 1999-06-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-06-10 | 2002-12-10 | 2003-06-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |