High speed electron tunneling device and applications

• US 6,756,649 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2003
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Inventors: Moddel, Garret, Eliasson, Blake J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thinh T
• Application Number:
  US10/347,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20030127700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 257/425, 257/14, 257/661, 257/377, 257/49, 257/28, 327/570, 324/96
• US Class Current: 257/425
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1446 in a repetitive configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7311 Tunnel transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7606 Transistor-like structures, e.g. hot electron transistor [HET]; metal base transistor [MBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/82 controllable by variation of the magnetic field applied to the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/08 in which radiation controls flow of current through the device, e.g. photoresistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/101 Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0004 Devices characterised by their operation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0037 having a MIS barrier layer
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 60/10 Junction-based devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/00 Solid-state devices having no potential barriers, and specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N79/00

Abstract

A modulator includes a voltage source, a first arrangement including first and second non-insulating layers configured such that a modulation voltage from the voltage source can be applied there across, and a second arrangement between the first and second non-insulating layers. The second arrangement includes a first amorphous layer configured such that a transport of electrons between the first and second non-insulating layers includes tunneling. The first arrangement further includes an antenna structure for absorbing part of an input radiation, while a remainder of the input radiation is reflected. The second arrangement cooperates with the first arrangement such that the antenna exhibits a first absorptivity, when a first modulation voltage is applied to the first arrangement, and exhibits a distinct, second absorptivity, when a second modulation voltage is applied, thereby causing the antenna to reflect a different amount of input radiation to an output as modulated radiation.

Claims

1. A modulator for modulating an input electromagnetic radiation incident thereon and providing a modulated electromagnetic radiation at an output, said modulator comprising:

a voltage source for providing a modulation voltage, which modulation voltage is switchable between first and second voltage values;

a first arrangement including first and second non-insulating layers spaced apart from one another such that the modulation voltage can be applied across the first and second non-insulating layers; and

a second arrangement disposed between the first and second non-insulating layers and configured to serve as a transport of electrons between and to said first and second non-insulating layers as a result of the modulation voltage, said arrangement including at least a first amorphous layer configured such that the transport of electrons includes, at least in part, transport by means of tunneling, with respect to the modulation voltage,

wherein said first arrangement further includes an antenna structure configured for absorbing a given fraction of the input electromagnetic radiation with a given value of absorptivity, while a remainder of the input electromagnetic radiation is reflected by the antenna structure, said absorptivity being defined as a ratio of an intensity of the given fraction to a total intensity of the input electromagnetic radiation, and

wherein said second arrangement is further configured to cooperate with the first arrangement such that the antenna structure exhibits a first value of absorptivity, when said first voltage value of modulation voltage is applied across the first and second non-insulating layers, and exhibits a distinct, second value of absorptivity, when said second voltage value of modulation voltage is applied across the first and second non-insulating layers, thereby causing the antenna structure to reflect a different amount of the input electromagnetic radiation to the output as modulated electromagnetic radiation having a given value of contrast ratio, with respect to the modulation voltage, said contrast ratio being defined as a ratio of said first value of absorptivity to said second value of absorptivity.

2. The modulator of claim 1 wherein said antenna structure is formed from said first and second non-insulating layers.

3. The modulator of claim 1 wherein said second arrangement further includes a different, second layer disposed directly adjacent to and configured to cooperate with the first amorphous layer such that said modulated electromagnetic radiation provided at the output has another value of contrast ratio, which is higher than said given value of contrast ratio.

4. A modulator for modulating an input electromagnetic radiation incident thereon and providing a modulated electromagnetic radiation at an output, said input electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength within a wavelength range from infrared to visible, said modulator comprising:

a voltage source for providing a modulation voltage, which modulation voltage is switchable between first and second voltage values; and

an assembly including

a diode configured to receive said modulation voltage; and

an antenna structure configured for absorbing a given fraction of the input electromagnetic radiation with a given value of absorptivity, while a remainder of the input electromagnetic radiation is reflected by the antenna structure, said absorptivity being defined as a ratio of an intensity of the given fraction to a total intensity of the input electromagnetic radiation,

wherein said diode is further configured to cooperate with antenna structure such that the antenna structure exhibits a first value of absorptivity, when said diode receives said first voltage value of modulation voltage, and exhibits a distinct, second value of absorptivity, when said diode receives said second voltage value of modulation voltage, thereby causing the antenna structure to reflect a different amount of the input electromagnetic radiation to the output as modulated electromagnetic radiation having a given value of contrast ratio, with respect to the modulation voltage, said contrast ratio being defined as a ratio of said first value of absorptivity to said second value of absorptivity.

5. The modulator of claim 4 wherein said diode includes

first and second non-insulating layers spaced apart from one another such that the modulation voltage can be applied across the first and second non-insulating layers, and

an arrangement disposed between the first and second non-insulating layers and configured to serve as a transport of electrons between and to said first and second non-insulating layers as a result of the modulation voltage, said arrangement including at least a first amorphous layer configured such that the transport of electrons includes, at least in part, transport by means of tunneling, with respect to the modulation voltage.

6. The modulator of claim 5 wherein said arrangement further includes a different, second layer disposed directly adjacent to and configured to cooperate with the first amorphous layer such that said modulated electromagnetic radiation provided at the output has another value of contrast ratio, which is higher than said given value of contrast ratio.

7. The modulator of claim 5 wherein said antenna structure is formed from said first and second non-insulating layers.

8. A field effect transistor for receiving an external signal, switching an input signal according to the received, external signal and providing an output signal, said external signal being switchable between a first value and a second value, said field effect transistor comprising:

a diode structure including

i) a source electrode for receiving said input signal,

ii) a drain electrode spaced apart from said source electrode such that a given voltage can be applied across the source and drain electrodes, and

iii) an arrangement disposed between the source and drain electrodes and configured to serve as a transport of electrons between and to said source and drain electrodes, said arrangement including at least a first amorphous layer configured such that the transport of electrons includes, at least in part, transport by means of tunneling with a given value of a tunneling probability,

a shielding layer at least partially surrounding said diode structure; and

a gate electrode disposed adjacent to said shielding layer, said gate electrode being configured to receive said external signal and to apply said external signal as said bias voltage across said source and drain electrodes such that, when said first value of external signal is received at the gate electrode, a first signal value is provided as the output signal at the drain electrode and, when said second value of external signal is received at the gate electrode, a second signal value is provided as the output signal at the drain electrode and said output signal exhibits a given output ratio, which output ratio is defined as the ratio of the first signal value to the second signal value.

9. The field effect transistor of claim 8 wherein said arrangement is configured such that, using only said first amorphous layer results in a first value of output ratio exhibited by the output signal, and wherein said arrangement further includes a different, second layer disposed directly adjacent to and configured to cooperate with said first amorphous layer such that the output signal exhibits a second value of output ratio, which second value of output ratio is higher than said first value of output ratio.