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Tunnel Diode
Before contact
E CSiO
After contact
E CSiO
E CSi
E CSi
E CSi
E CSi
E VSi
E VSi
E VSi
E VSi
E VSiO
Si
SiO2
E VSiO
Si
Si
SiO2
Si
For thick barrier, both Newtonian and Quantum mechanics say that the
electrons cannot cross the barrier.
It can only pass the barrier if it has more energy than the barrier height.
Electron with energy greater than
EB can pass over the barrier
E=EB
Electron with energy less than
EB cannot pass the barrier
E=0
Si
SiO2
Si
For thin barrier, Newtonian mechanics still says that the electrons cannot
cross the barrier.
However, Quantum mechanics says that the electron wave nature will allow
it to tunnel through the barrier.
Tunneling is caused by
the wave nature of
electron
E=EB
E=EB
E=0
Si
SiO2
Si
Newtonian Mechanics
Si
SiO2
Si
Quantum Mechanics
When the p and n region are highly doped, the depletion region becomes very thin
(~10nm).
In such case, there is a finite probability that electrons can tunnel from the conduction
band of n-region to the valence band of p-region
During the tunneling the particle ENERGY DOES NOT CHANGE
High doping
Thick depletion layer
EC
EV
EV
When the semiconductor is very highly doped (the doping is greater than No) the
Fermi level goes above the conduction band for n-type and below valence band for ptype material. These are called degenerate materials.
EC
EF
EV
6
EC
EV
Direct tunneling current starts growing
Step 3: With a larger voltage the energy of the majority of electrons in the
n-region is equal to that of the empty states (holes) in the valence band of
p-region; this will produce maximum tunneling current
EC
EV
Maximum Direct tunneling current
EC
EV
Direct tunneling current decreases
EC
EV
No tunneling current; diffusion current starts growing
10
Step 6: With further voltage increase, the tunnel diode I-V characteristic is
similar to that of a regular p-n diode.
EC
EV
11
In this case the, electrons in the valence band of the p side tunnel
directly towards the empty states present in the conduction band of the
n side creating large tunneling current which increases with the
application of reverse voltage.
The TD reverse I-V is similar to the Zener diode with nearly zero
breakdown voltage.
EC
EV
12
Part II
Circuits with the Tunnel Diodes
I
R
TD
NDR region
Typical Tunnel Diode (TD) I-V characteristic has two distinct features:
(1) it is STRONGLY non-linear (compare to the resistor I-V).
Current - Voltage relationships for TDs cannot be described using the Ohms law
(2) it has a negative differential resistance (NDR) region
13
peak
valley
Ip
I diode
V
I s exp
Vth
Iv
Vv
Vp
14
I tun
V
V
=
exp
R0
V0
peak
valley
Ip
| Rd max
1+ m
exp
| = R0
m
Iv
Vv
Vp
1 m
V p = V0
m
15
I excess
V Vv
V
=
exp
Rv
Vex
peak
valley
Ip
Iv
Vv
Vp
16
+
-
VS
18
Differential resistance: Rd =
I
V V
I I
Rd = cot ( )
V
V
For linear (Ohmic) components, R = Rd.
I
I Rd << R
Rd < R
V
Diode
(forward bias)
V
V
Zener Diode
(reverse bias)
1
Rd2 < 0
TD
V
19
VS
After turning the switch ON:
VS -t/(RC)
i (t ) = e
R
i
i
R>0
R<0
t
t
20
Microwave cavity
(LC- resonance circuit)
Cd
Rd
us
R
RL
Cd
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
Rd
us
R
RL
LC
0
-0.2
-0.4
Rd >0 or
Rd<0 and RL > |Rd|
-0.6
-0.8
-1
5
4
3
2
1
0
-1 0
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
22
Vd
Vd Vs
+
R R
Vs
1
I = Vd +
R
R
y = mx + c
Slope, m = 1
y V
s
X axis intercept,Vs
Y axis intercept, c =
Vs
Vs
R
slope = 1
Vs
x
24
Vs = Vd + I R
Vs
1
I = Vd +
R
R
Vd
Vs
Vs
R
slope = 1
Diode
I-V
Id1
Vs
V
Vd1
25
Vd=0.78V
R
500
2V
Id=2.4 mA
Id=2.4 mA
V axis intercept, Vs = 2 V
I axis intercept, (Vs/R) = 4 mA
Vd=0.78V
26
Vs
R
1250
2.5V
Id=1.4 mA
Id=1.4 mA
V axis intercept, Vs = 2.5 V
I axis intercept, (Vs/R) = 2 mA
Vd=0.76V
27
Vs
2.0V
R= 500
R= 750
R= 1000
28
Vs
Vs= 1V
Vs=2V
Vs=3V
29
Vd
I, mA
3
2
Vs
TD
4
4
V, V
30