In this letter, self-switching nanochannels have been proposed as an enabling technology for energy gathering in the terahertz (THz) regime. Such devices combine their diode-like behavior and high-speed of operation in order to generate DC electrical power from high-frequency signals. By using finite-element simulations, we have improved the sensitivity of L-shaped and V-shaped nanochannels based on InAlAs/InGaAs samples. Since those devices combine geometrical effects with their rectifying properties at zero-bias, we have improved their performance by optimizing their shape. Results show nominal sensitivities at zero-bias in the order of 40 V−1 and 20 V−1, attractive values for harvesting applications with square-law rectifiers.
In this work, the influence of the surface depletion layer on the formation of a two-dimensional electron gas in AlGaAs/GaAs modulated doped heterostructures is studied. The authors explore a method for estimating the depletion region inside of the GaAs-based heterostructures by using the longitudinal optical and L- amplitude modes observed in Raman spectra, which are supported by the modeling results. The authors found that the position of the topmost doping layer changes the electron distribution in the heterostructure and decreases the influence of the depletion layer. Similar effects are perceived when an optimized solution of (NH4)2SX and isopropanol is employed. The authors present a method to evaluate the formation of a double two-dimensional electron gas in a heterostructure by the adequate use of modulation line in the photoreflectance spectroscopy.
In order to improve the rectification efficiency and current–voltage characteristics of self-switching diodes (SSD) the DC response is analyzed using technology computer aided design (TCAD). It is demonstrated that by varying geometrical parameters of L- and V-shaped SSDs or changing the dielectric permittivity of the trenches, a near zero threshold voltage can obtained, which is essential for energy harvesting applications. The carrier distribution inside the nanochannel is successfully simulated in two-dimensional mode for zero-, reverse-, and forward-bias conditions. This process allows for the evaluation of the effect of the lateral surface-charge on the formation and spatial distribution of the depletion region, in addition to, obtaining information on the physics of the SSD through the propose optimized geometries that were designed for tailoring and matching the desired frequencies of operation. The numerical results showed some insights for the improvement of the rectification efficiency and integration density using parallel SSD arrays.
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