Three-terminal switching device with InGaAs/GaAs/InGaAs hole confinement layer

We report a new switching device with back-to-back AlGaAs planar-doped barrier and InGaAs/GaAs/InGaAs well grown by molecular beam epitaxy, which exhibits S-shape negative differential resistance (NDR). The device has a large potential barrier between the anode and cathode regions which can be modulated via a third terminal. The NDR phenomenon is attributed mainly to impact ionization within the undoped anode region. Due to the better confinement effect on holes for a double InGaAs/GaAs/InGaAs quantum well, experimental results reveal that good switch behavior and higher turn on current were obtained in our improved device. When external bias is applied to the third electrode, we observe voltage-dependent switching voltage and holding voltage, this introduces multiple stable regimes of the device operation. Therefore, based on a proper design, the studied device has good potential for proposed multiple-valued logic circuit application or acts as an inverter.