Design, fabrication and modelling of InGaAs/AlAs/InP resonant tunnelling diode

Abstract

We have designed and fabricated In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As/AlAs resonant tunnelling diodes on an InP substrate. At room temperature, the devices exhibit two negative differential resistance regions at 0.13 V and 0.65 V, respectively, in their dc I-V characteristic curves. The second resonant peak has a current density of 3.0/spl times/10/sup 4/ A/cm/sup 2/ and a peak-to-valley-ratio of 2:1. The measured tunnelling current and peak resonant voltages agree well with the theoretical calculations from a coherent tunnelling model. When the excess current is simulated by intervalley scattering of electrons, the resultant I-V curve matches very well with the experimental results.