Quantum functional devices: resonant-tunneling transistors, circuits with reduced complexity, and multiple valued logic

Recent advances in the area of quantum functional devices are discussed. After a discussion of the functional device concept, resonant-tunneling bipolar transistors (RTBTs) with a double barrier in the base region are described. Design considerations for RTBTs with ballistic injection and the first observation of minority-electron ballistic RT are presented. RTBTs using thermionic injection and exhibiting a high peak-to-valley ratio at room temperature in the transfer characteristics are also described. Multiple-state RTBTs and their DC and microwave performance are then discussed. Circuit applications of RTBTs also are discussed. It is shown that RTBTs allow the implementation of many analog and digital circuit functions with a greatly reduced number of transistors and show considerable promise for multiple-valued logic. Experimental results on frequency multipliers and parity bit generators are presented. Analog-to-digital converters are memory circuits are also discussed. Two novel superlattice-base transistors are reported. Negative transconductance is achieved by suppression of injection into minibands. Gated quantum-well RT transistors are also discussed.< >