Gunn Diode: Topic of Presentation

TOPIC OF PRESENTATION
Gunn Diode
GUNN DIODE
•
Definition
• History
• Construction
Definition:
Such type of semiconductor device which have only N type doped

(semiconductor) material, is called “Gunn Diode.”
It’s a unique component.
Gunn Diode is also known as:
Transferred Electron Device (TED).

Microwave Semiconductor Device.
Symbols for Circuit Diagram:
History:
Gunn diode was invented by a Physicist, John
Battiscombe Gunn, in 1963, in IBM.
Transferred Electron Effect was first published by:
Ridley and Watkins in 1961.
Further work by Hilsum in 1962,
Finally J.B. Gunn, observed it, using GaAs
semiconductor, in 1963.
Construction:
Gunn diodes are fabricated from a single piece of n-type

semiconductor,
Source Material:
Tri-methylgallium and arsenic (10% in H2).
Most Common Materials :
Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)

and Indium Phosphide (InP).
Three main areas:
Top/Upper Area,
Middle Area,
Bottom Area.
Middle area (Active layer) has a doping level between

1014 cm-3 to 1016 cm-3 .
Substrate has doping
density
n = 1.3x10 ^18 cm-³.
Thickness varies according to the

frequency required.
Metal contacts consist of three layers, namely a
80 nm layer of AuGe sandwiched between two
layers of 10 nm of Ni.
Additional AuGe is evaporated on the

existing contacts to a depth of 0.7μm.
Use Of Gold.
Its relative stability,
and high conductivity.
Requirements:
The material must be defect free , and it must also

have a very uniform level of doping.

Types of Materials Used For Gunn Diodes
To Get Different Frequencies:
Gallium arsenide for frequencies up

to 200 GHz,
Gallium nitride can reach up to 3 THz.

GUNN DIODE
Negative Resistance
In Gunn Diode
 GaAs (Galliam Arsenide ) has a property of negative
resistance.
 ) The negative resistance in Gunn diode is due to

(a) electron transfer to a less mobile energy level
(b) high reverse bias
(c) electron domain formation at the junction
BANDGAP STRUCTURE OF GAAS
 Gunn discovered the TED effect in GaAs semiconductor
 In GaAs , conduction band lie directly above the top of

the valence band. The lowest energy conduction band in
GaAs is called as primary valley. GaAs has 6 secondary
valleys. The bottom of one of the secondary valley is at
an energy difference of 0.35 eV with the bottom of the
primary valley in conduction band
 When dc voltage is applied across the material, an electric
field is established across it. At low E field in the material,
most of the electrons will be located in the lower energy
valley. At higher E field, most of the electrons will be
transferred into high energy valleys where effective electron
mass is larger and hence electron mobility is lower than that
in the low energy valley.
 Since conductivity is directly proportional to mobility, the
current decreases with increase in E field beyond a threshold
value. This is called Transferred electron device(TED)
 Thus the material behaves as a negative resistance device
over a range of applied voltages and can be used in
microwave oscillators
• As the field increases, the
electron drift velocity in
gallium arsenide reaches
a peak and then
decreases.
• As the E-field increases,
the energy of the electron
increases & the electron
can be scattered into the
upper valley, where the
density of states effective
mass is 0.55 m0
TRANSFERRED ELECTRON DEVICES
 E(GaAs) = 0.31 eV
EFFECT OF NEGATIVE RESISTANCE
ON CURRENT
GUNN DIODE
Gunn Effect
 Materials which have the Gunn Effect, such as GaAs,
InP, GaN, must be direct bandgap materials that have
more than one valley in the conduction band & the
effective mass & the density of states in the upper
valley(s) must be higher than in the main valley.
ε ε ε
k k k
ε < εth εth < ε < εsat ε > εsat

OPERATION
 When the electric field is less than Eth, the electrons
jump from valence band to primary valley of conduction
band and current increases linearly with electric field,As
electric field is raised beyond Eth, the electrons absorb
more enery and become hot electrons.
 The hot electrons jump into the lowest secondary valley
in conduction band.It is observed that when the electrons
become hot, their mobility reduces.hence called
Negative differential conductivity or NDC region results
MODES OF OPERATION
 Gunn mode or Transit time mode
 TheLSA mode (or limited space charge
accumulation)
TRANSIT TIME MODE
 In this mode, voltage V applied the diode so as to set up a
electric field E greater than the threshold field.The devices
is now biased in the NDC region where the transfer of
electrons is taking place from primary to secondary valley.
 During the process a bunch of electrons called
Accumulation layer starts moving from left to right of the
sample.The time taken for the accumulation layer to travel
the length of the specimen of GaAs is so less that its
reciprocal gives the frequency of oscillations in the
microwave range.Hence in this mode,diode is used as an
oscillator at microwave frequency. The time taken for the
accumulation layer to travel down the length of the piece
is called Transit-time
LSA MODE
 Improvement in power handling capability is achieved
by choice of bias voltage such a way that during a small
portion of the cycle, the operating point enters into the
positive resistance region thereby not allowing the
accumulation layer to form. since accu. Layer is not
formed, the voltage across this longer device can be
increased and thus power output is increased
significantly.
GUNN DIODE
Difference between Gunn

diode and P-N junction
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GUNN DIODE
AND P-N JUNCTION
Gunn diode P-N junction diode
Construction
 It only consists of N type  It consists of P & N type
semiconductor material semiconductor material
 It has N+ n N+ material  It has P type,N type and
No depletion region is formed depletion region between

these materials
AND P-N JUNCTION
Gunn Doiode P-N junction Diode
AND P-N JUNCTION
Symbols of Gunn Diode P-N junction
AND P-N JUNCTION
AND P-N JUNCTION
AND P-N JUNCTION
I-V characteristics I-V characteristics
Of Gunn diode Of P-N junction Diode
GUNN DIODE
Applications
 A Gunn diode can be used to amplify signals because of the
apparent "negative resistance". Gunn diodes are commonly
used as a source of high frequency and high power signals
Sensors and measuring
Instruments
 Anti-lock brakes
 Sensors for monitoring the flow of traffic
 Pedestrian safety systems
 Distance traveled" recorders
 Traffic signal controllers
 Automatic traffic gates
AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENERS
CAR SPEED DETECTORS
SENSORS TO AVOID DERAILMENT OF TRAINS
MOTION DETECTOR
RADIO AMATEUR USE
GUN OSCILLATOR
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TOPIC OF PRESENTATION

Such type of semiconductor device which have only N type doped

It’s a unique component.

Gunn Diode is also known as:

Transferred Electron Device (TED).

Gunn diodes are fabricated from a single piece of n-type

Tri-methylgallium and arsenic (10% in H2).

Most Common Materials :

Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)

Middle area (Active layer) has a doping level between

Thickness varies according to the

Additional AuGe is evaporated on the

The material must be defect free , and it must also

Gallium arsenide for frequencies up

Gallium nitride can reach up to 3 THz.

 ) The negative resistance in Gunn diode is due to

 In GaAs , conduction band lie directly above the top of

ε < εth εth < ε < εsat ε > εsat

Difference between Gunn

No depletion region is formed depletion region between

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