ISSN:
1432-0630
Keywords:
79.70
;
42.65
;
85.60
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract In a series of recent experiments, research groups have made absolute frequency measurements with laser beams in the infrared region (μm) using a metal-metal point contact diode for the generation, frequency mixing and detection. At present there are two models which attempt to explain the rectification mechanism of the diode: 1) Tunneling of electrons through an intermediate oxide film from whisker to the metal base, i.e., configuration is considered to be a metal-oxide-metal (MOM) tunneling junction. 2) Rectification and nonlinear processes are the result of a thermal enchanced field emission. Such emission is a consequence of the immersion of the whisker in the laser radiation which results in conduction induced thermionic emission and/or generation of an electric field at the tip necessary for electron tunneling by field emission. The purpose of this comment is: a) to discuss qualitatively the basic difference between MOM and TFE theories as regards the origin of the nonlinearity and rectification properties of the metal point contact junction; b) to review the analyses describing the ultimate frequency response of the device; and 3) to provide a possible explanation for polarity reversal consistent with the TFE mechanism describing the operation of the whisker diode.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00882734
Permalink
