Comparison of hot electron and related amplifiers

It is proposed that novel amplifiers be compared with each other and with existing amplifiers on the basis of as many figures of merit as are calculable. The bipolar transistor; field-effect transistor; Schottky-emitter, space-charge-limited-emitter, and tunnel-emitter, metal-base, hot-electron amplifiers are compared with respect to frequency cutoff and maximum frequency of oscillation. Using reasonable ground rules for the comparison, the amplifiers rank (with respect to frequency cutoff) in the order: Schottky emitter, bipolar transistor, space-charge-limited emitter, and tunnel emitter. With respect to maximum frequency, the amplifiers rank in the order: Schottky emitter; space-charge-limited emitter; tunnel emitter and bipolar transistor equivalent; and field-effect transistor.