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US5459334A
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Negative absolute conductance device and method
Assignee: Wayne State University
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Filing: 1994-09-20
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Granted: 1995-10-17
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Expires: 2014-09-20
Abstract
Abstract A quantum wire embedded in another material or a quantum wire which is free standing. Specifically, the quantum wire structure is fabricated such that a quantum well semiconductor material, for example Gallium Arsenide (GaAS), is embedded in a quantum barrier semiconductor material, for example Aluminum Arsenide (AlAs). Preferably, the entire quantum wire structure is engineered to form multiple subbands and is limited to a low dimensional quantum structure. The dimensions of the quantum wire structure are preferably around 150×250 Å. This structure has a negative absolute conductance at a predetermined voltage and temperature. As a result of the resonant behavior of the density of states, the rates of electron scattering in the passive region (acoustic phonon and ionized impurity scattering as well as absorption of optical phonons) decrease dramatically as the electron kinetic energy increases.
Inventors
- 👤 Mitra Dutta
- 👤 Michael A. Stroscio
- 👤 Vladimir V. Mitin
- 👤 Rimvydas Mickevicius
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 06:03
CPC Classifications
B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; H; H10; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/80; H10D62/81; H10D62/812; H10D62/813
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A low dimensional quantum structure comprising: an exterior material; a quantum well semiconductor material embedded in the exterior material, the quantum well semiconductor material being of a predetermined length, width and height so as to exhibit low dimensional quantum qualities and have multiple subbands of electron energy levels; and means to apply an electron injection energy which is a multiple of the LO phonon energy present in the quantum well semiconductor material, whereby a negative absolute conductivity is induced in the quantum well semiconductor material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
A low dimensional quantum structure comprising: an exterior material; a quantum well semiconductor material embedded in the exterior material, the quantum well semiconductor material being of a predetermined length, width and height so as to exhibit low dimensional quantum qualities and have multiple subbands of electron energy levels; and means to apply an electron injection energy which is a multiple of the LO phonon energy present in the quantum well semiconductor material, whereby a negative absolute conductivity is induced in the quantum well semiconductor material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The quantum structure of claim 1 wherein the quantum well semiconductor material is gallium arsenide and the exterior material is aluminum arsenide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The quantum structure of claim 1 wherein the structure is at a temperature below 70 K.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The quantum structure of claim 1 wherein the structure further comprises means to compensate for electron heating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The quantum structure of claim 4 wherein the means to compensate for electron heating includes a means to linearly recombine the electrons injected at the lower subband energy levels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
A low dimensional quantum structure comprising: a exterior material; a quantum well semiconductor material embedded in the exterior material, the quantum well semiconductor material being of a predetermined length, width and height so as to exhibit low dimensional quantum qualities and have multiple subbands of electron energy levels; and means to apply an electron injection energy which is approximately equal to the energy of the bottom subband energy level present in the quantum well semiconductor material, whereby a negative absolute conductivity is induced in the quantum well semiconductor material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
89 words
A low dimensional quantum structure comprising: a exterior material; a quantum well semiconductor material embedded in the exterior material, the quantum well semiconductor material being of a predetermined length, width and height so as to exhibit low dimensional quantum qualities and have multiple subbands of electron energy levels; and means to apply an electron injection energy which is approximately equal to the energy of the bottom subband energy level present in the quantum well semiconductor material, whereby a negative absolute conductivity is induced in the quantum well semiconductor material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The quantum structure of claim 6 wherein the structure is at a temperature below 70 K.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The quantum structure of claim 6 wherein the structure further comprises means to compensate for electron heating.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The quantum structure of claim 8 wherein the means to compensate for electron heating includes a means to linearly recombine the electrons injected at the lower subband energy levels.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of inducing negative absolute conductivity comprising the steps of: forming a structure of predetermined size and shape from a quantum well semiconductor material such that multiple subbands of electron energy levels are present in the quantum well semiconductor material and such that the quantum well semiconductor material exhibits low quantum dimensional qualities; and applying an electron injection energy to the quantum well semiconductor material, the electron injection energy being equal to a multiple of the longitudinal-optical phonon energy present in the quantum well semiconductor material.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of inducing negative absolute conductivity comprising the steps of: forming a structure of predetermined size and shape from a quantum well semiconductor material such that multiple subbands of electron energy levels are present in the quantum well semiconductor material and such that the quantum well semiconductor material exhibits low quantum dimensional qualities; and applying an electron injection energy to the quantum well semiconductor material, the electron injection energy being equal to a multiple of the longitudinal-optical phonon energy present in the quantum well semiconductor material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of cooling the quantum well semiconductor material to a temperature below 70 K.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of linearly recombining the electrons at the lower subband energy levels in order to compensate for electron heating at lower energy subband energy levels.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of inducing negative absolute conductivity comprising the steps of: forming a structure of predetermined size and shape from a quantum well semiconductor material such that multiple subbands of electron energy levels are present in the quantum well semiconductor material and such that the quantum well semiconductor material exhibits low quantum dimensional qualities; and applying an electron injection energy to the quantum well semiconductor material, the electron injection energy being approximately equal to bottom subband energy level present in the quantum well semiconductor material.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of inducing negative absolute conductivity comprising the steps of: forming a structure of predetermined size and shape from a quantum well semiconductor material such that multiple subbands of electron energy levels are present in the quantum well semiconductor material and such that the quantum well semiconductor material exhibits low quantum dimensional qualities; and applying an electron injection energy to the quantum well semiconductor material, the electron injection energy being approximately equal to bottom subband energy level present in the quantum well semiconductor material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of cooling the quantum well semiconductor material to a temperature below 70 K.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of linearly recombining the electrons at the lower subband energy levels in order to compensate for electron heating at lower energy subband energy levels.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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