Measurement of fluctuations affecting domain formation in transferred-electron logic devices using picosecond optical pulses

Abstract

Picosecond optical pulses have been used to bias the gate region of a transferred-electron logic device to the vicinity of the threshold for domain formation. Single domains with rise and fall times of less than 50 ps are produced when the device is illuminated between the cathode and Schottky-barrier gate electrodes. The probability of domain generation is found to vary with optical intensity and applied bias voltage. Fitting a model of the effects of thermal carrier density fluctuations to these data yields a value for the rms fluctuating electric field component affecting domain formation of 123±14 V/cm in the devices studied.