SOLID-STATE APPLICATION STUDY,
Abstract
A theoretical and experimental investigation was made of the plasma-like properties of the charge carriers in solid-state materials to determine the feasibility to utilizing this pseudo plasma for amplication and generation of electromagnetic energy. The following types of waves are considered: (1) slow transverse electromagnetic waves (helicon waves and extensions thereof), (2) longitudinal electric waves (plasma waves), and (3) fast transverse electromagnetic waves. It is shown that helicon waves are theoretically capable of being amplified in semiconductors at frequencies of the order of 10 to the 7th power cps or lower. Longitudinal plasma-wave instabilities remain of great interest, but have never been observed in semiconductors. It is shown that fast wave amplification is not possible where the dc magnetic field, the dc electric field, and the wave vector k are mutually parallel, and where a shifted Maxwellian is assumed for the velocity distribution function. Other distribution functions and field configurations remain to be evaluated. A Hall-effect experiment has yielded useful information about the energy dependence of the electron mobility of InSb. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0427093
Entities
People
- M. Heil
- P. M. W. Nave
- S. T. Fisher