High-performance GaAs/AlAs superlattice electronic devices in oscillators at frequencies 100-320 GHz

Abstract

Negative differential resistance devices were fabricated from two epitaxial wafers with very similar GaAs/AlAs superlattices and evaluated in resonant-cap full-height waveguide cavities. These devices yielded output powers in the fundamental mode between 105 GHz and 175 GHz, with 14 mW generated at 127.1 GHz and 9.2 mW at 133.2 GHz. The output power of 4.2 mW recorded at 145.3 GHz constitutes a 50-fold improvement over previous results in the fundamental mode. The highest confirmed fundamental-mode oscillation frequency was 175.1 GHz. In a second-harmonic mode, the best devices yielded 0.92 mW at 249.6 GHz, 0.7 mW at 253.4 GHz, 0.61 mW at 272.0 GHz, and 0.54 mW at 280.7 GHz. These powers exceed those extracted previously from higher harmonic modes by orders of magnitude. The power of 0.92 mW constitutes an improvement by 77% around 250 GHz. The second-harmonic frequency of 317.4 GHz is the highest to date for superlattice electronic devices and shows an increase by 25% over previous results.