Resonant tunneling transistor with quantum well base and high-energy injection: A new negative differential resistance device

Abstract

We propose a new negative conductance device consisting of a heterojunction bipolar transistor with a quantum well and a symmetric double barrier or a superlattice in the base region. The key difference compared to previously studied structures is that resonant tunneling is achieved by high-energy minority carrier injection into the quantum state rather than by application of an electric field. Thus this novel geometry maintains the crucial, structural symmetry of the double barrier, allowing unity transmission at all resonance peaks and higher peak-to-valley ratios and currents compared to conventional resonant tunneling structures. Both tunneling and ballistic injection in the base are considered. These new functional devices have significant potential for a variety of signal processing and multiple-valued logic applications and for the study of the physics of transport in superlattices.