Current Instabilities in Vacuum Electron Devices and Semiconductor Avalanche Diodes for Generation of THz Oscillations

Abstract

Two promising methods for generation of THz radiation are presented and discussed. The hybrid bulk-surface modes excited in a cavity with bi-periodic grating have been considered. Such modes appear due to Electrodynamic interaction of the bulk modes with surface-wave resonator modes (i.e., leaky spoof surface plasmon polariton of an open grating). The potential for the effective generation of the THz radiation in a Clinotron by the excitation of the hybrid modes has been demonstrated. Theory of a new instability in reversed biased pn-junctions with impact ionization was developed and applied for investigation of THz oscillators design.