Abstract
We report an increase in the oscillation frequency of terahertz oscillators using AlAs/InGaAs double-barrier resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) by optimizing the collector spacer thickness. For high-frequency oscillation of RTDs, the electron delay time, which is composed of the dwell time in the resonance region and the transit time in the collector depletion region, must be reduced. Although the transit time is reduced by a thin collector spacer, the capacitance increases. Thus, an optimum thickness of collector spacer layer exists. In this report, we investigate the dependence of oscillation frequency on the collector spacer thickness. The RTDs were integrated with 20-μm-long slot antennas, and oscillations up to 1.1, 1.42, and 1.29 THz were obtained for spacer thicknesses of 25, 12, and 6 nm, respectively. The optimum spacer thickness for high-frequency oscillation was around 12 nm. The highest frequency in this experiment was 1.42 THz oscillation, with an output power of ~1 μW. We also extracted the electron velocity in the collector depletion region and the dwell time from the dependence of the delay time on the collector spacer thickness.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Emeritus Professors Y. Suematsu and K. Furuya of the Tokyo Institute of Technology for their continuous encouragement. We also thank Professors S. Arai and Y. Miyamoto and Associate Professors M. Watanabe and N. Nishiyama of the Tokyo Institute of Technology for fruitful discussions and encouragement. This work was supported by the Scientific Grants-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan; the Industry–Academia Collaborative R&D Program from the Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan; and the Strategic Information and Communications R&D Promotion Programme (SCOPE) from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
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Kanaya, H., Sogabe, R., Maekawa, T. et al. Fundamental Oscillation up to 1.42 THz in Resonant Tunneling Diodes by Optimized Collector Spacer Thickness. J Infrared Milli Terahz Waves 35, 425–431 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10762-014-0058-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10762-014-0058-z