A W-InSb point contact diode for harmonic generation and mixing in the visible

Metal-oxide-metal (MIM) and Schottky barrier diodes are widely used as harm onic generators and mixers and for frequency measurements from far infrared to visible. MIM diodes have a low cost of fabrication and are very easy to handle, while Schottky diodes are mechanically more stable and long lived. In this article we present the performance of a W-InSb point contact diode for radiation at visible wavelength; the device is very simple, easy to fa bricate and costless, has the advantages of MIM as well as of Schottky diod es, and has proved to be very effective as both detector and mixer. (C) 200 0 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)03402-X].