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].