Optimal design of a semiconductor heterostructure tunnel diode with linear current-voltage characteristic

Atomic layer precision in design of heterostructure tunnel diodes can be used to mimic an Ohmic (linear) current-voltage characteristic over a range of voltage bias. This is achieved by manipulating low energy electron transmission resonances. Calculations demonstrate how greater than 65 dB dynamic range can be obtained in an optimized heterostructure tunnel device that is only 17 nm thick. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.