Tunnel Diodes Incorporating Strain-Balanced, Quantum-Confined Heterostructures

摘要

A strain-balanced quantum well tunnel junction (SB-QWTJ) device. QW structures are formed from alternating quantum well and barrier layers situated between n++ and p++ layers in a tunnel junction formed on a substrate. The quantum well layers exhibit a compressive strain with respect to the substrate, while the barrier layers exhibit a tensile strain. The composition and layer thicknesses of the quantum well and barrier layers are configured so that the compressive and tensile strains in the structure are balanced.

主权项

1. A strain-balanced quantum well tunnel junction device, comprising:
a quantum well tunnel junction (QWTJ) situated between n++ and p++ layers on a substrate; the QWTJ comprising an n-type quantum well structure adjacent a p-type quantum well structure, the n-type quantum well structure comprising an n-type quantum well layer disposed between corresponding n-type barrier layers and the p-type quantum well structure comprising a p-type quantum well layer disposed between corresponding p-type barrier layers, an n-type barrier layer being adjacent a p-type barrier layer; wherein at least one of the n- and p-type quantum well layers exhibits a first strain with respect to the substrate and at least one of the corresponding n- and p-type barrier layers exhibits a second strain with respect to the substrate; wherein at least one of a composition and a thickness of the quantum well layers and the barrier layers is configured to balance a net strain in the device.