Is intrinsic bistability really intrinsic tristability?

Abstract
The issue of intrinsic bistability in resonant tunneling devices is examined analytically and quantitatively. The results indicate that the putative argument for intrinsic bistability is actually an argument for intrinsic tristability. If a third stable configuration really exists, it might be hard to access experimentally although its existence could have consequences for high-speed device applications. If an intrinsic bistable regime is ipso facto a tristable regime, then an experimental search for a third stable configuration could provide persuasive evidence for the physical mechanism commonly advocated as the basis for intrinsic bistability.