Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att-cb!att-ih!pacbell!ames!mailrus!umix!uunet!psivax!torkil
From: torkil@psivax.UUCP (Torkil Hammer)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: V channel FET
Message-ID: <2154@psivax.UUCP>
Date: 1 Apr 88 01:01:39 GMT
Reply-To: torkil@psivax.UUCP (Torkil Hammer)
Organization: Sometimes
Lines: 39
References:

Scientists here are proud to announce the succesful test of a
Vacuum Channel Field Effect Transistor. (VCFET).

The device is built in a cylindrical glass tube which is evacuated.
The source is a rod along the centerline.  A patented heater makes the
majority carriers overcome the normal work function of escaping metal.
In addition the heater serves as visual indicator (red) that the device
is on, thus saving an LED.
The drain is a concentric metal sheet just inside the tube.  The gate is
a concentric wire mesh between source and drain.

The real news is that *several* gates can be made, mounted concentrically
within the channel.
The one closest to the source is the main or control gate.  Additional
gates will modulate the transconductance slightly, and can be tailored to
linearize the transfer function or implement miscellaneous other effects.

Other advantages of the V channel FET include: 
* Visual indicator of operation (red light from source)
* Visual indicator of overload (blue light from drain)
* No upper limit to physical size of the device, which makes it possible to
  have device dissipation in the kilowatt range, using water cooling of the
  drain.  Ideal for a large radio transmitter.
* Inherent high cutoff frequency for radar and microwave operation
* Single device analog multiplier (using 2 gates)
* Single Device HF amplifier/oscillator/mixer (using 5+1 gates)

So far we have only had succes with negative majority carriers.
We expect to develop a complementary device by same date next year,
though the mobility of holes in this particular type of channel
remains lower than that of electrons.

torkil

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