GaAs/AlAs Resonant-Tunneling Diode for Subharmonic Mixers

摘要

A GaAs/AlAs resonant-tunneling diode is designed for use as part of a subharmonic mixer, and its prototypes are fabricated and characterized. Its current - voltage characteristics measured at room, liquid-nitrogen, or liquid-helium temperature provide evidence for its adequate performance over the entire temperature range. Its impedance is measured against frequency up to 40 GHz, on which basis an appropriate equivalent circuit is selected for the device, and its components are quantified. The operation of a subharmonic mixer incorporating the resonant-tunneling diode is simulated for a number of values of its quantum-well width. At liquid-helium temperature, adjusting the quantum-well width is predicted to make the appropriate local-oscillator power vary from 50 μW to 15 mW, while holding the conversion loss of a subharmonic mixer below 10 dB.