Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Schottky Barrier Diode01:27

Schottky Barrier Diode

506
Schottky barrier diodes are specialized semiconductor devices characterized by their unique construction. This construction involves combining a metal layer with a moderately doped n-type semiconductor material. This combination leads to the formation of a Schottky barrier, a pivotal element that defines the diode's operational characteristics. The core functionality of Schottky barrier diodes is their capacity to allow current to flow in only one direction due to their distinctive...
506
Metal-Semiconductor Junctions01:24

Metal-Semiconductor Junctions

522
The contact of metal and semiconductor can lead to the formation of a junction with either Schottky or Ohmic behavior.
Schottky Barriers
Schottky barriers arise when a metal with a work function (Φm) contacts a semiconductor with a different work function (Φs). Initially, electrons transfer until the Fermi levels of the metal and semiconductor align at equilibrium. For instance, if Φm > Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level is higher than the metal's before contact. The...
522
Fermi Level Dynamics01:12

Fermi Level Dynamics

350
The vacuum level denotes the energy threshold required for an electron to escape from a material surface. It is usually positioned above the conduction band of a semiconductor and acts as a benchmark for comparing electron energies within various materials.
Electron affinity in semiconductors refers to the energy gap between the minimum of its conduction band and the vacuum level and it is a critical parameter in determining how easily a semiconductor can accept additional electrons.
The work...
350
Biasing of P-N Junction01:16

Biasing of P-N Junction

897
The operation of a p-n junction diode involves various biasing conditions, including forward bias, reverse bias, and equilibrium.
In equilibrium, no external voltage is applied across the p-n junction. The depletion region is formed at the junction interface due to the diffusion of carriers, which leaves behind charged dopants, acceptors on the p-side, and donors on the n-side. These immobile charges create an electric field that prevents further diffusion of carriers. The related energy band...
897
Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions01:27

Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions

339
Biasing metal-semiconductor junctions involves applying a voltage across the junction. Specifically, the metal is connected to a voltage source, while the semiconductor is grounded. This technique is essential for controlling the direction and magnitude of current flow in electronic devices, including diodes, transistors, and photovoltaic cells.
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
339
Diode: Forward bias01:20

Diode: Forward bias

1.3K
In semiconductor devices, diodes play a crucial role in directing current flow, and its operation is primarily categorized into forward bias and reverse bias. A diode is said to be forward-biased when its p-type region is connected to the positive terminal of a battery and its n-type region is linked to the negative terminal. This configuration reduces the potential barrier within the diode, allowing current to flow easily from the p to the n-type region.
The behavior of a diode in forward bias...
1.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Routine immunization uptake and timeliness in young children exposed to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: A secondary analysis of the Tuberculosis Child Multidrug-Resistant Preventive Therapy multi-site randomised controlled trial.

BMC global and public health·2026
Same author

Does cytomegalovirus infection increase the risk of tuberculosis in UK children?

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2025
Same author

Evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of WHO-recommended treatment decision algorithms for childhood tuberculosis using an individual person dataset: a study protocol.

BMJ open·2025
Same author

Carrier-Envelope Phase Control in Terahertz Pulse Generation Using InAs Ribbon Metasurfaces.

ACS photonics·2025
Same author

Enhancement of the electro-optic modulation efficiency in lithium niobate whispering gallery mode microdisk modulators.

Optics letters·2025
Same author

Understanding the relationship between adolescents with tuberculosis and health services: an indepth qualitative study from Cape Town.

BMJ open·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 17, 2025

Fabrication of Schottky Diodes on Zn-polar BeMgZnO/ZnO Heterostructure Grown by Plasma-assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy
14:16

Fabrication of Schottky Diodes on Zn-polar BeMgZnO/ZnO Heterostructure Grown by Plasma-assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Published on: October 23, 2018

7.8K

Fermi-level-managed multi-barrier heterojunction diodes for terahertz detection.

Iñigo Belio-Apaolaza1, James Seddon2, Cyril C Renaud2

  • 1Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London, UK. inigo.apaolaza.21@ucl.ac.uk.

Scientific Reports
|July 2, 2025
PubMed
Summary

The fermi-level-managed barrier diode (FMBD) shows promise for Terahertz (THz) heterodyne receivers, offering improved performance over traditional diodes. A new multi-barrier design (FMMBD) further enhances sensitivity, approaching 10x the quantum limit.

More Related Videos

Terahertz Microfluidic Sensing Using a Parallel-plate Waveguide Sensor
07:28

Terahertz Microfluidic Sensing Using a Parallel-plate Waveguide Sensor

Published on: August 30, 2012

10.9K
Simulation, Fabrication and Characterization of THz Metamaterial Absorbers
13:44

Simulation, Fabrication and Characterization of THz Metamaterial Absorbers

Published on: December 27, 2012

15.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 17, 2025

Fabrication of Schottky Diodes on Zn-polar BeMgZnO/ZnO Heterostructure Grown by Plasma-assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy
14:16

Fabrication of Schottky Diodes on Zn-polar BeMgZnO/ZnO Heterostructure Grown by Plasma-assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Published on: October 23, 2018

7.8K
Terahertz Microfluidic Sensing Using a Parallel-plate Waveguide Sensor
07:28

Terahertz Microfluidic Sensing Using a Parallel-plate Waveguide Sensor

Published on: August 30, 2012

10.9K
Simulation, Fabrication and Characterization of THz Metamaterial Absorbers
13:44

Simulation, Fabrication and Characterization of THz Metamaterial Absorbers

Published on: December 27, 2012

15.5K

Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Terahertz (THz) heterodyne receivers require sensitive detectors.
  • Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) Schottky barrier diodes are standard but have limitations like high local oscillator power needs and reproducibility issues.
  • The fermi-level-managed barrier diode (FMBD) offers a potential alternative using InGaAs/InP heterobarriers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the intrinsic performance of the FMBD as a THz frequency mixer.
  • To analyze the optimization of epitaxial structures for FMBDs in heterodyne detection.
  • To introduce and simulate a novel fermi-level-managed multi-barrier diode (FMMBD) concept.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a semiconductor model to predict nonlinear current-voltage (IV) and capacitance-voltage (CV) characteristics of the FMBD.
  • Performed harmonic balance simulations to determine intrinsic conversion loss and noise temperature.
  • Simulated the performance of the novel FMMBD device concept.

Main Results:

  • The study provides a guide for designing FMBD-based THz mixers based on operating frequency and local oscillator power.
  • The novel FMMBD design mitigates the trade-off between device area and junction capacitance.
  • Simulations show the FMMBD achieves intrinsic noise temperatures approaching 10x the quantum limit, indicating improved sensitivity.

Conclusions:

  • FMBDs are a viable alternative to GaAs Schottky diodes for THz heterodyne mixers.
  • The FMMBD concept represents a significant advancement in THz detector sensitivity.
  • This research guides the development of next-generation THz receiver technologies.