Planar quantum transistor based on 2D–2D tunneling in double quantum well heterostructures

Abstract

We report on our work on the double electron layer tunneling transistor (DELTT), based on the gate-control of two-dimensional --two-dimensional (2D-2D) tunneling in a double quantum well heterostructure. While previous quantum transistors have typically required tiny laterally-defined features, by contrast the DEL'IT is entirely planar and can be reliably fabricated in large numbers. We use a novel epoxy-bond-and-stop-etch (EBASE) flip-chip process, whereby submicron gating on opposite sides of semiconductor epitaxial layers as thin as 0.24 microns can be achieved. Because both electron layers in the DELTT are 2D,the resonant tunneling features are unusually sharp, and can be easily modulated with one or more surface gates. We demonstrate DELTTs with peak-to-valley ratios in the source-drain I-V curve of order 20:1 below 1 K. Both the height and position of the resonant current peak can be controlled by gate voltage over a wide range. DELTTs with larger subband energy offsets (-21 meV) exhibit characteristics that are nearly as good at 77 K, in good agreement with our theoretical calculations. Using these devices, we also demonstrate bistable memories operating at 77 DISCLAIMERThis report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. DISCLAIMERPortions of this document may be illegible in electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available original document. 2 K.in gain, and high-speed.Finally, we briefly discuss the prospects for room temperature operation, increases 3 INTRODUCTIONElectronic devices based on resonant tunneling in semiconductor heterostructures have seen considerable effort ever since Tsu and Esaki' proposed the double barrier resonant tunneling diode (DBRTD) in 1973. The device was shortly thereafter demonstrated by Chang, Esaki, and Tsu2. In the DBRTD, typically grown in the GaAs/Al,Ga,-,As material system, electrons in a three-dimensional (3D) emitter layer can pass into a 3D collector layer only by first resonantly tunneling through two-dimensional (2D) electron states which are confined in a quantum well (QW) between two narrow barriers. To first order, electrons can tunnel only when their energy and in-plane momentum are conserved3. As a voltage is applied between the emi...

Hysteresis in the quantum Hall regimes in electron double quantum well structures

“…Over the years, many novel physical phenomena have been observed 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 . In addition, since the distance (or the coupling) between the two quantum wells can be controllably tuned from a few tenths of nanometer to several microns, DQW structures have shown promise as possible future electronic devices for next generation information processing 11 .…”

Terahertz photoconductivity and plasmon modes in double-quantum-well field-effect transistors

“…͓DOI: 10.1063/1.1497433͔ Double-quantum-well ͑DQW͒ heterostructures are important in the scientific exploration of correlated electron states in two-dimensional electron systems 1 and potentially important for novel field-effect transistors that add functionality by controlling electron transfer between the quantum wells. 2 Interwell transfer can also be promoted by terahertz photon assisted tunneling, opening the possibility of fast, voltage tunable terahertz ͑THz͒ detectors. 3 This motivated our research on THz response of DQW field-effect transistors ͑FETs͒.…”

Layered Two-Dimensional Heterostructures and Their Tunneling Characteristics

“…A double-barrier resonant tunneling diode (RTD) is an electronic device based on this mechanism that produces NDR in its tunneling characteristic due to Adapted from Ref. 26.…”

“…[136,137] An even more intriguing distinction with MLG is that, under the in uence of external elds, the band structure of bilayer graphene (BLG) near the charge neutrality point becomes quartic, changing from semi-metallic to semiconducting as a small band gap is induced. were originally proposed for conventional 2D quantum wells, [26] but the theory was recently treated for MLG, [1,31,110,111,115,116,135,144] and NDR was observed experimentally in high-quality devices shortly thereafter. [31 33] The theory discussed in the present work is particularly relevant to the recent observations of Fallahazad et al [33] 8…”