Optically triggered transferred-electron device microwave burst and single pulse generators

Transferred-electron device (TED) microwave burst and single pulse generators which are triggered by pico-second optical pulses. The burst generator includes a TED having a cathode, an anode, and a gate electrode positioned therebetween, all located on a semiconductor substrate. An optical pulse applied to the substrate between the gate and anode electrodes causes a plurality of space charge domains to sequentially travel from the gate to the illuminated region thereby causing an oscillatory burst of current to occur in the external leads of the TED. The frequency of the burst is proportional to the distance between the gate and the illuminated region and the burst duration is proportional to the optical pulse amplitude and/or duration. Alternatively, the burst generators may be formed from a two terminal TED with the cathode electrode being treated as the gate. A single pulse generator may be formed by applying an optical pulse to the substrate between the cathode and the gate of a three terminal TED. The duration of the single pulse is proportional to the distance between the gate and the anode.