Strong Nonlinear Effects of a Transmission Line Stub on Resonant Tunneling Diode Oscillators

This study discusses the behavior of resonant tunneling diode (RTD) oscillators when a transmission line (TL) stub is added. The TL stub acts as a delayed feedback unit, resulting in unstable and complex oscillation behavior. Circuit simulation showed that the circuits generate various waveforms, including chaos, by changing the stub length. Experi- mental demonstration of the simulation results was performed using circuits fabricated with hybrid integration techniques using an InGaAs/AlAs RTD. These complex signals have potential for various applications in the THz frequency range. On the other hand, this finding is significant for the de- sign of THz oscillators using an RTD, since even a small metal pattern can cause such a feedback effect in the THz frequency range. In particular, interconnect wiring patterns can cause this effect because reflection due to impedance mismatch is unavoidable.