The Physics and Applications of Resonant Tunnelling Diodes (Cambridge Studies in Semiconductor Physics and Microelectronic Engineering, Series Number 2)

This book gives a comprehensive description of the physics and applications of resonant tunnelling diodes. The opening chapters of the book set out the basic principles of coherent tunnelling theory. The effects of impurity scattering, femtosecond dynamics, non-equilibrium distribution and intrinsic bistabilities are then described in detail. The applications of RTDs, such as in high-frequency signal generation and multi-valued data storage, are also reviewed. The book closes with a chapter devoted to the more recent field of resonant tunnelling through laterally confined zero-dimensional structures. Covering all the key theoretical and experimental aspects of this stimulating area of research, the book will be of great value to graduate students of quantum transport physics and device engineering, as well as to researchers in both these fields. The rapid progress in crystal growth and microfabrication technologies over the past two decades have led to the development of novel semiconductor devices. Among the most significant of these are resonant tunnelling diodes (RTDs), and this book is the first to give a comprehensive description of the physics and applications of these devices. The RTD, which utilises electron-wave resonance in double potential barriers, has emerged as one of the most important testing grounds for modern theories of transport physics, and is central to the development of new types of semiconductor nanostructure. The opening chapters of the book set out the basic principles of coherent tunnelling theory and the various fundamental concepts necessary for the study of RTDs. Longitudinal-optical phonon-assisted resonant tunnelling, the effects of impurity scattering, femtosecond dynamics, non-equilibrium distribution, space charge build-up and intrinsic bistabilities are then described in detail. The applications of RTDs, such as in high-frequency signal generation, high-speed switching, and multi-valued data storage are reviewed, and the book closes with a chapter devoted to the new field of resonant tunnelling through laterally confined zero-dimensional structures. Covering all the key theoretical and experimental aspects of this active area of research, the book will be of great value to graduate students of quantum transport physics and device engineering, as well as to researchers in both these fields. This book is the first to give a comprehensive description of the physics and applications of resonant tunneling diodes. The opening chapters of the book set out the basic principles of coherent tunneling theory. The authors describe in detail the effects of impurity scattering, femtosecond dynamics, non-equilibrium distribution, and intrinsic bistabilities. They review the applications of RTDs, such as in high-frequency signal generation and multi-valued data storage, and close the book with a chapter on the new field of resonant tunneling through laterally confined zero-dimensional structures. Covering all the key theoretical and experimental aspects of this active area of research, the book will be of great value to graduate students of quantum transport physics and device engineering, as well as to researchers in both these fields. This book gives a comprehensive description of the key theoretical and experimental aspects of resonant tunnelling diodes, one of the most important types of nanostructure devices. The book will be valuable to graduate students and researchers in quantum transport physics and device engineering. The first comprehensive description of the physics and applications of resonant tunnelling diodes, one of the most important types of nanostructure devices Recent progress in crystal growth and microfabrication technologies have allowed us to explore a new field of semiconductor device research.