Frequency multiplier with nonlinear semiconductor element

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides a semiconductor frequency multiplier for multiplying a frequency of an electrical signal comprising, in combination, a body of semiconductive material having an electric field-to-current characteristic including a nonlinear region, biasing means for establishing a biasing electric field in a first direction within the body, input means for establishing an alternating current input electric field in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction within the body, and output means for taking out a current component flowing in the first direction through the body, the arrangement being such that the biasing electric field and the alternating current electric field form a resultant electric field variable in a portion of the electric field-to-current characteristic including the nonlinear region in response to a change in the ac input electric field, and the current components taken out by said output means has a frequency equal to a multiple of the frequency of the ac input electric field.
The semiconductive body may be preferably formed of gallium arsenide (GaAs).
The body may also be made of a semiconductive material having an electric field-to-current characteristic nonlinear and partly including a saturated region, for example, of silicon or germanium.