ELECTRICAL AND OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF THE 4-TERMINAL DOUBLE-HETEROSTRUCTURE OPTOELECTRONIC SWITCH (DOES)

This paper extends the theory of the three-terminal DOES device, in wh ich the third terminal (the injector) makes contact to the bulk sectio n of the active region, to the four-terminal DOES, in which the fourth terminal (the source) accesses the inversion channel at the n-n heter ojunction. The source is shown to be capable of initiating switching a t lower current densities than the injector. The effects of incident l ight on the device are also examined, yielding results similar to the injection of carriers at the source and injector. Incomplete ionizatio n of the charge sheet and two-dimensional quantum effects in the chann el, which have been neglected in previous DOES models, have been inclu ded here. These effects are shown to significantly affect the characte ristics of the device, and to reduce the discrepancy between simulated and experimental results.