Depleted double-heterojunction optical thyristor

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Abstract
A novel double‐heterojunction PnpN optical thyristor is presented in which both the center n‐layer and the center p‐layer are completely depleted at equilibrium. This structure is an extremely attractive optoelectronic switch, because it allows the marriage of two usually incompatible features: speed and optical sensitivity. The speed results from the fact that our PnpN‐structure can be reset to equilibrium, from any point on the current‐voltage characteristics, in less than 10 ns by means of a simple negative anode‐to‐cathode voltage pulse. The optical sensitivity is a direct consequence of the center n‐ and p‐layers being completely depleted of free carriers at equilibrium. We show experimental evidence of this reset operation by studying the dynamics of the free‐carrier extraction from the center n‐ and p‐layers.