| 摘要 |
<p>The invention concerns a structure for generating, or generating and processing, signals at frequencies in the terahertz field comprising a semiconductor superlattice comprising n potential wells (39, 37, 35, 33, 31), separated from one another by a barrier (38, 36, 34, 32), in a periodically alternating manner. The structure is subjected to a static electric field (F) in the direction of stacking of the layers, which is sufficient for the average speed of the electrons to reduce with the increase in the field. The electric field produces, in the superlattice, a discontinuous distribution of specific electronic energy levels according to a Wannier-Stark ladder with an energy level called Wannier-Stark level, confined/located on each potential well, the superlattice starting from the upstream side in the direction of circulation of the electrons by a first well (39). An electron injection means (40) is provided, forming a reservoir of electrons, coupled to the superlattice by a potential barrier (41) and having a specific energy level that is substantially at the same height as the Wannier-Stark ladder of an n-th well of the superlattice located beyond the first well of the superlattice, for example the second well, such that the energy level (Li) of the reservoir of electrons is caused to resonate by the resonant tunnelling effect with the Wannier-Stark level of this n-th well of the superlattice.</p> |
