1.

Tunnel Diode

1.1 What is tunnel diode/Definition

 The tunnel diode is a heavily doped PN junction diode which shows negative
resistance.
 In the tunnel diode, this barrier is made extremely thin (less than a millionth of an
inch) -- so thin,
 It works based on the tunneling effect. It means the electrons pass through the wall or
the barrier and reappear on the other side.
 It is also called the Esaki diode, named after the inventor LeO Esaki who invented it
in August 1957 and received the Nobel Prize in 1973 in Physics for discovering the
electron tunneling effect used in this diode.

1.1.1 *What is the Tunnel effect

The tunnel diode takes its name from the tunnel effect----
A process wherein a particle (obeying the laws of the quantum theory) can disappear
from one side of a potential barrier and appear instantaneously on the other
side,(It is like the train that enters into the tunnel and disappears and appears on
the other side of the tunnel) even though it does not have enough energy to
surmount the barrier. It is as though the particle can "tunnel" underneath the barrier,

1.2 Symbol of Tunnel Diode

 A tunnel diode is a two-terminal device one is an anode and the other is a cathode.

1.3 Construction of Tunnel Diode

 Gallium Arsenide, Gallium Antimonide, and Germanium are used in the
manufacturing of tunnel diodes.
 The doped density of the tunnel diode is nearly 1000 times higher than the normal
diode

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1.4 Difference between Normal P-N Junction and Tunnel diode

Normal Diode
 When the normal diode is forward
biased the depletion region
decreases and the barrier height also
decreases.
 The electrons into the N-type layer
cannot penetrate through the
depletion region because of the
opposition of the inbuilt voltage.
 When the applied external
voltage is increased and when it is
higher than the barrier voltage
only then do the electrons pass
over the barrier and enter the p
side.

Tunnel Diode
 Unlike the normal PN junction in
the tunnel diode, there is a large
difference in the energy levels of
P-type and N-type.
 The energy level of the conduction
band and the valence of the N-type
is significantly lower than the P-
type band.
 In Tunnel diodes, the conduction
band of the N-type overlaps the
valence band of the P-type.
 The depletion region is very small
in the tunnel (because doping is
very high compared to a normal
P-N junction diode) so the
electrons from the N-type in the
conduction band can directly pass
through the barrier to the P-type
valence band

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1.5 Tunnel Diode: Working

Step 1: When no voltage is

applied (Unbiased Tunnel diode):
 The diode is said to be in
unbiased condition when no
external voltage is applied
 Since the tunnel diode is
heavily doped and the
conduction band of the N-
type overlaps with the P-
type valence band (Imp
point) the holes of the P-
type pass into the N-type
and electrons from the N-
type pass into the P-type.
 But the net current is zero
since an equal number of
charges flow through the
opposite side.

Step 2: When a small voltage is

applied
 When a small voltage is
applied small number of
electrons from the
conduction band of the N-
type passes through the
barrier into the valence
band of the P-type
 Thus, a small tunnel current
is produced.

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 Step 3:
When the applied voltage is
increased
When the applied voltage is
increased a greater number of free
electrons and holes are generated
and the conduction band of N-type
and the valence band of P-type
become equal, so maximum tunnel
current flows.

Step 4:
When the applied voltage is
further increased
 When the applied voltage is
further increased
misalignment of the valence
band of P-type and
conduction band of N-type
takes place. So, the flow of
tunnel current decreases.

Step 5:
When the applied voltage is
largely increased
 When the applied voltage is
further increased, it behaves
like a normal PN-diode
and the tunnel current is
zero (overall current is
enhanced but there is no
tunneling effect)

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1.6 V-I Characteristics
(By Summarizing all the four Steps)
 When voltage is applied it
starts conducting
immediately because of
heavy doping.
 When the voltage increased
further it showed negative
resistance and the current
decreased.
 When the applied voltage is
increased more, it conducts
like the normal diode.

1.7 Advantages
 It is a low-power device
 It is a low-noise device
 It is a low-cost device
 High-speed (High switching speed)
 Fast response
 Easy to operate

1.8 Disadvantages/Limitations
 No isolation between the input and output circuits.
 The output power is low in milliwatts.

1.9 Applications
 It is used in FM receivers because of its low power requirement.
 It is used in high-frequency components since it shows a fast response.
 It is used in logic memory storage device
 It is used in high-speed switching (useful for high-frequency signals)
 It is used in microwave circuits