Modulation of MM and Sub-MM Wave Radiation Using Extrinsic Ionization in Semiconducting Crystals

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe possibility of modulation of mm. and sub-mm. wave through control of impurity ionization in a simple semiconducting crystal is examined. A magnetic modulation is shown to be possible leading to two distinct modes of operation of the modulator. With InSb the required field is, however, not small enough to give the device a large bandwidth. An electric field control should be much better from this point of view. But there remains much work to be done in order to put the idea on a firm basis.