ADVANCED MM-WAVE SOURCES BY AUTOMATED MBE.

In many mm-wave systems, gallium arsenide (GaAs) Gunn devices are used for power generation. These devices require epitaxial growth of very thin layers. Grading the carrier concentration of the active region of the Gunn device has been shown to be effective in increasing power output by improving thermal characteristics. These devices can be made using an automated epitaxial growth system such as the one described here. Further research in this area is necessary for an increased understanding of sloped profile effects on Gunn operation and for the design of optimum active region slopes to produce higher power and more efficient devices.