Cycling excitation process: An ultra efficient and quiet signal amplification mechanism in semiconductor

Abstract

Signal amplification, performed by transistor amplifiers with its merit rated by the efficiency and noise characteristics, is ubiquitous in all electronic systems. Because of transistor thermal noise, an intrinsic signal amplification mechanism, impact ionization was sought after to complement the limits of transistor amplifiers. However, due to the high operation voltage (30-200 V typically), low power efficiency, limited scalability, and, above all, rapidly increasing excess noise with amplification factor, impact ionization has been out of favor for most electronic systems except for a few applications such as avalanche photodetectors and single-photon Geiger detectors. Here, we report an internal signal amplification mechanism based on the principle of the phonon-assisted cycling excitation process (CEP). Si devices using this concept show ultrahigh gain, low operation voltage, CMOS compatibility, and, above all, quantum limit noise performance that is 30 times lower than devices using impact ionization. Established on a unique physical effect of attractive properties, CEP-based devices can potentially revolutionize the fields of semiconductor electronics.

Frequency- and Power-Dependent Photoresponse of a Perovskite Photodetector Down to the Single-Photon Level

“…These observations prompt us to suggest the existence of an avalanche-like process for the I – /V + pairs in organometallic halide perovskites and ionic impact ionization process above the threshold field of 1.55 × 10 4 V/cm. Similar to electronic impact ionization where the kinetic energy of an electron can ionize an eh + pair in a cascade process − or shallow trap assisted photomultiplication in an organic photodetector, − perhaps a photoexcited I – can gain sufficient energy from the applied field to ionize an I – and V + pair and trigger the cascade process.…”

Low-power phonon lasing through position-modulated Kerr-type nonlinearity

“…Another interesting feature of amplifiers is their ability to reach high gain amplification for low input power. Such an amplifier has been recently realized, and has shown high gain for low-power operation and low quantum limit noise performance 19 .…”

“…However, amplifying (or reaching phonon lasing threshold) with low-power consumption would provide practical advantage for amplifiers. Such low-power light amplifier has been recently realized, and has shown high gain at low-power operation and low quantum limit noise performance [19].…”