LASER-ASSISTED FIELD EMISSION MICROWAVE SIGNAL GENERATOR

摘要

A source electrode (24) is biased to lower the potential barrier of surface electrons. A laser (30) radiates the source electrode (24), producing a tunneling electron current. The tunneling electron current oscillates in response to frequency of the laser (30). An impedance match circuit (16) couples the current from the high-impedance source electrode (24) of a laser-assisted field emission to a lower-impedance connector (26), creating a high-frequency microwave signal source. Two or more lasers (30, 31) may be photomixed to further tune the frequency of the microwave signal.