The superlattice parametric oscillator (SPO) is described. The research on the SPO comprised an experimental and a theoretical part. The SPO is pumped with microwave radiation and oscillates at the third harmonic frequency of the pump frequency. A semiconductor superlattice acts as active element giving rise to parametric gain for third harmonic radiation. A resonator delivers the feedback necessary for parametric oscillation. The SPO works at room temperature. We realized the SPO in a metal waveguide technique. When pumped with radiation of a frequency near 100 GHz it generated third harmonic radiation near 300 GHz. It was tunable over a broad frequency range. The SPO showed characteristic behavior of an oscillator. The power (0.1 mW) of the third harmonic radiation corresponded to a conversion efficiency of a few percent of the power (4 mW)udof the pump radiation. Parametric gain is based on miniband electron transport in a superlattice. A theoretical analysis shows that gain can occur also at terahertz (THz) frequencies. Terahertz gain should allow it to realize a terahertz-SPO.
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