PNP RESONANT TUNNELING LIGHT-EMITTING TRANSISTOR

A pnp bipolar resonant tunneling transistor is realized using a base consisting of an n-type modulation doped quantum-well layer next to a double-barrier tunneling structure. Electrons are injected from the quantum-well base layer into the tunneling structure, leading to quantum-well light emission when they recombine with holes from the emitter. This optical output, which is modulated by the base voltage, persists in the negative differential resistance region of the current-voltage characteristics where the hole current is in oscillation. This opens possibilities for using this transistor as a high frequency electro-optical heterodyne convertor.