Presentation on Gunn Diode

GUNN DIODE
Submitted by:
Bhupender- 22001003020
Harry- 22001003036 Submitted to: R.D Sir
Key Learnings:
Introduction
Construction
Working
Advantages and disadvantages
Applications
Introduction
Gunn Diode Definition: A Gunn diode is a
semiconductor device formed by only N-type material.
It is also termed as a transferred electron device.
As in n-type material, electrons acts as majority carriers

and these are transferred from one valley to another.
It is a two terminal device basically made up of

semiconductor material like GaAs, InP etc. As these
AK
materials exhibit the property of producing microwave

oscillations.
Construction of Gunn diode:
The Gunn diode is made of only an N-type semiconductor
because the transferred electron effect (explained below) only
occurs in N-type materials and it does not occur in P-type
materials because it is only appropriate for electrons and not
holes.
The materials used for Gunn diode are Gallium Arsenide (GaAs),
Gallium Nitride (GaN), Indium Phosphide (InP).
All these materials have electrons as majority carriers.

Gunn diode is made of actually three layers of N-type material. The
two layers at the extremes are heavily doped while the middle thin
layer is lightly doped known as the buffer layer. Generally, the
middle thin layer is epitaxially grown on the N+ substrate. While the
topmost layer N+ layer is formed by the ion implantation
technique.
Structure
Gunn diode is made of actually three layers of N-type
material.
The two layers at the extremes are heavily doped while
the middle thin layer is lightly doped known as the buffer
layer.
Generally, the middle thin layer is epitaxially grown on
the N+ substrate.
While the topmost layer N+ layer is formed by the ion
implantation technique.
Thus forming three layers semiconductor structure. The
width of the middle layer determines the operating
frequency of the device. Metallic or ohmic contacts are
provided at their ends for biasing. Furthermore, a
heatsink is connected to prevent overheating.
Gunn Effect
Electrons initially reside in the valance band. After gaining certain energy equal to the
forbidden energy gap between the valance band and conduction band, the electrons jump to
the conduction band. At first, the electrons are in the lower valley where the electrons have
very small effective mass and high mobility. The semiconductor behaves ohmically i.e. the
current increases with an increase in the voltage.
As the energy gained by the electrons in the lower valley increases, they jump to the upper
valley where the electrons have large effective mass and low mobility. Therefore if the
electrons move to the upper valley due increase in the applied voltage, the current through
the semiconductor decreases. This electron transfer between the two valleys is known as the
transferred electron effect or Gunn effect named after the physicist who discovered it.
Working of Gunn diode:
The Gunn diode works on the principle of the Gunn effect
explained above. When voltage is applied an electric field across
the active layer (thin middle layer) is established. The current flow
increases with the increase in the applied voltage. The device has
positive resistance. The current increases until the voltage
increase up to threshold voltage Vth.
When the voltage increases beyond the threshold value Vth,

the current density starts to decrease known as the Gunn
effect. The current decreases with an increase in the applied
voltage. In this region, the device exhibits negative resistance.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
•Gunn diode offers very high operating frequency in the hundreds of GHz
range.
•It is a very economical and cheapest possible option for microwave
frequency.
•It has small size and takes little space.
•It is very reliable in high-frequency operations.
•It is very comparatively very efficient.
Disadvantages
•The negative resistance region requires high voltage.
•Its efficiency deteriorates at a lower frequency below 10 GHz.
•The biasing temperature greatly affects its performance. Thus it has low stability.
•The noise immunity vanishes and the noise is high in certain applications.
Applications
•Gunn Oscillator: It is used in the Gunn oscillator to generate a very high frequency of
200 GHz. This oscillator is used in radio communication, microwave transmitter and
receiver, and military radar.
•Oscillator and amplifier: the negative resistive region of the Gunn diode where the
current and vintage vary inversely to each other is utilized to amplify a signal as well as
oscillations.
•Sensor: it is also used in a sensor for the generation of microwave frequency such as in
proximity detection systems, door opening systems, smart traffic signal controllers,
security systems, intruder alarms, distance indicators, process control systems, level
sensors, etc.
•Tachometer: Gunn diode is used in a contactless tachometer that is used for measuring
the rotational speed of a wheel, motor shaft, etc. It sends a beam of microwave pulses that
is reflected after each full rotation from the reflective mark. The speed is calculated in
revolutions per minute RPM.
•Pulsed Gunn Diode generator: it is used to generate current pulsed in the microwave
Reference:
https://www.electricaltechnology.org/2023/02/gunn-diode.html
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GUNN DIODE

Advantages and disadvantages

It is also termed as a transferred electron device.

As in n-type material, electrons acts as majority carriers

It is a two terminal device basically made up of

materials exhibit the property of producing microwave

All these materials have electrons as majority carriers.

When the voltage increases beyond the threshold value Vth,

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