US PATENT SUBCLASS 257 / 23
.~.~.~ Current flow across well

Current as of: June, 1999
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257 /   HD   ACTIVE SOLID-STATE DEVICES (E.G., TRANSISTORS, SOLID-STATE DIODES)

9  DF  THIN ACTIVE PHYSICAL LAYER WHICH IS (1) AN ACTIVE POTENTIAL WELL LAYER THIN ENOUGH TO ESTABLISH DISCRETE QUANTUM ENERGY LEVELS OR (2) AN ACTIVE BARRIER LAYER THIN ENOUGH TO PERMIT QUANTUM MECHANICAL TUNNELING OR (3) AN ACTIVE LAYER THIN ENOUGH TO PERMIT CARRIER TRANSMISSION WITH SUBSTANTIALLY NO SCATTERING (E.G., SUPERLATTICE, QUANTUM WELL, OR BALLISTIC TRANSPORT DEVICE) {5}
12  DF  .~ Heterojunction {3}
14  DF  .~.~ Quantum well {4}
23.~.~.~ Current flow across well

DEFINITION

Classification: 257/23

Current flow across well:

(under subclass 14) Subject matter wherein the device operation involves flow of carriers (electrons or holes) across the quantum well (as contrasted with tunneling through the well).

(1) Note. Current flow is considered to be "across" the well if the carriers have sufficient energy to pass over the barrier layers confining the quantum well, as contrasted to passing through the barriers by quantum mechanical tunneling.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

25, for devices which operate by resonant tunneling through the barriers, rather than over them.