It is demonstrated that a number of the difficulties which have thus far limited the application of the TRAPATT oscillator may be overcome by optically generating carriers within the device active region. Illumination with a short light pulse at the beginning of the bias pulse extents the ranges of bias, circuit tuning, and temperature over which the duration of leading edge jitter is short. Illumination during the application of the bias pulse significantly shifts the oscillation frequency. It is shown that this effect may be used to eliminate undesirable, intrapulse frequency drift with shaped light pulse. Also, frequency switching in time-frames approaching one RF period are accomplished which opens up new applications for the TRAPATT oscillator.
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