Research on Microwave Amplification in Semiconductors. Volume I. Experimental Work.
Abstract
The significance of this research to the Air Force lies in the following two unrelated conclusions: (1) A solid-state traveling-wave microwave amplifier in germanium can not be built; and (2) There appears to exist the possibility of an improved contact technology for Gunn Effect devices. The objective of this research has been two-fold: (1) to construct a two-port solid-state traveling-wave microwave amplifier, utilizing the negative transverse mobility (NTM) which had been reported to exist in germanium; and (2) to correlate, by potential probing experiments, the performance of Gunn effect devices with the near-cathode space charge dynamics, and to attempt to prepare (n+)on(n) contacts by tin diffusion from a refractory metal deposit. Objective (1) was not achieved. An NTM apparently does not exist in Ge. Earlier experimental reports which had been interpreted as the NTM effect are believed to have been caused by weakly injecting contacts, which cause an injection instability similar to a unijunction transistor instability. Objective (2) was partially achieved. Various metallurgical problems were identified and overcome, to the point that the metallurgical difficulties are believed to be essentially solved. A second problem identified was p-type conversion of the active layer during the diffusion process. It is believed to be simply a problem of process purity and/or control.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0890948
Entities
People
- Herbert Kroemer
Organizations
- University of Colorado Boulder