Abstract: A method and device for the high speed fluid (preferably water) jet removal of dental caries. The water jet is of a controlled upper and lower speed and pressure with a low speed and pressure being of at least 5 to 10 kpsi, sufficient to pierce and flush decayed tissue of a caries with a small beam fluid jet diameter. A pulsed or continuous fluid jet is used to remove and completely flush caries material from a tooth in a time period of under a second with a maximum stagnation pressure of about 30 kpsi, at which point healthy dentin is affected. A coherent or pseudo-coherent water jet operating at high stagnation pressure (range 10,000 to 20,000-psi and no more than 30-kpsi), in a brief burst (.apprxeq.1 second) and small beam diameter (30 to 100-.mu.m) will cleanly remove caries without damage to the tooth structure in particular the sound dentin at the boundary of the caries. No anaesthetic is accordingly required in the absence of a possible exposed nerve.

Abstract: Quantum carrier confinement in a wire-like region defined by intersecting layers is significantly enhanced by various structural modifications of a conventional quantum wire device. In that way, operation of the device at room temperature and above is made feasible.