Shallow water analogy for a ballistic field effect transistor: New mechanism of plasma wave generation by dc current

Abstract

We demonstrate that electrons in a ballistic field effect transistor behave as a fluid similar to shallow water. Phenomena similar to wave and soliton propagation, hydraulic jump, and others should take place in this electron fluid. We show that a relatively slow electron flow should be unstable because of plasma wave amplification due to the reflection from the device boundaries. This provides a new mechanism for the generation of tunable far infrared electromagnetic radiation.