Ballistic transport of electrons and holes

Abstract

The author describes recent advances with tunneling hot-electron transfer amplifier (THETA) devices. He notes that devices are used today as mini laboratory tools to study the physics of ballistic electron transport (such as the scattering mechanisms and valley transfer) and have improved considerably as amplifiers. Over the past few years their gain has progressively increased and is now more than 40. He addresses size quantization effects, ballistic electron loss due to phonon emission and intervalley transfer, and pseudomorphic InGaAs-base THETA devices. The possible usefulness of THETA devices is discussed.