SEMICONDUCTOR TWO TERMINAL
DEVICES-9
TUNNEL DIODE
CLASS NOTES -COMPILED BY: ANITA VISHEN
TUNNEL DIODE
A Tunnel Diode is a heavily doped p-n junction diode. If the concentration of the
impurity atoms is greatly increased in a p-n junction ( by about 1000 times) , the
characteristics are completely changed. The tunnel diode shows negative
resistance. When voltage value increases, current flow decreases. Tunnel diode
works on the principle of Tunnel Effect.
FIG.1 SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION
TUNNEL DIODE
Tunnel Diode was initially called Esaki diode after it’s inventor who developed it in 1958.
It’s characteristics are shown in Fig. 1 The materials used for this diode are Germanium,
Gallium arsenide and Silicon. Since Tunnel diodes show a negative resistance in their
operating range, these can be used as amplifiers, oscillators and in any switching
circuits.
WIDTH OF THE DEPLETION REGION IN TUNNEL DIODE
Depending on the number of impurities added, the width of the depletion region varies.
The explanation for it’s volt Ampere characteristics is based on the Zener effect. Because
of Zener effect the Zener diode is made to break down at a very low voltage (from 2 to 6
volts) because of heavy doping, causing a narrow depletion region. In Tunnel Diode also if
the doping is increased considerably, there will be no reverse blocking and the diode will
appear to be broken down for any reverse voltage. This increase in doping also affects the
forward current. Forward current is the sum of two components.
TUNNEL DIODE
One arises from an external voltage reducing the potential barrier across the depletion
region and allowing current to flow due to majority carriers in the conduction band. This is
shown in Fig.1 and will be referred to as the normal injection current. The other component
of forward current is due to the Zener Effect. The very narrow depletion region results in a
very high electric field which permits carriers in the valence energy band on one side of the
junction to ‘tunnel’ through to the conduction energy band on the other side of the junction
without having to overcome the potential hill. This current increases to some peak value Ip
at a forward voltage Vp, which is typically 65 mV for a Ge tunnel diode and 160 mV for a
GaAs Tunnel diode. The normal injection current will be negligible at this value of the
forward bias. Because the application of forward bias reduces the electric field strength (the
depletion region becomes less well defined because of the diffusion of carriers across the
p-n junction), the tunnelling current decreases when the forward bias exceeds Vp. This
current decrease results in a region of negative conductance which is typically 8x10-3 mhos
for a Ge tunnel diode.
TUNNEL DIODE
Above the valley I-V CHARACTERISTICS OF A TUNNEL DIODE
voltage VV , the normal
forward injection
current predominates
and the forward
current increases in
the usual manner. For
a forward voltage VF,
IF= IP. The values of IP
range from 1 to 100 m
A, with a typical IP to
IV ratio being in the
range of 6 for Ge and
10 for Ga As.
Fig.1
TUNNEL DIODE
TUNNEL DIODE
TUNNELING EFFECT
In electronics, Tunneling is a direct flow of electrons across the small depletion region
from n-side conduction band into the p-side valence band. In a p-n junction diode, both
positive and negative ions form the depletion region. Due to these ions, in-built electric
potential or electric field is present in the depletion region. This electric field gives an
electric force to the opposite direction of externally applied voltage.
As the width of the depletion layer reduces, charge carriers can easily cross the junction.
Charge carriers do not need any form of kinetic energy to move across the junction.
Instead, carriers punch through junction. This effect is called Tunneling and hence the
diode is called Tunnel Diode.
TUNNEL DIODE
Due to Tunneling, when the value of forward voltage is low, the value of forward current
generated will be high. It can operate in forward bias as well as in reverse bias. Due to
high doping, it can operate in reverse bias. Due to the reduction in barrier potential, the
value of reverse breakdown voltage also reduces. It reaches a value of zero. Due to
this, a small reverse voltage leads to diode breakdown. Hence, this creates negative
resistance region.
V-I CHARACTERISTICS OF TUNNEL DIODE
Due to forward biasing, because of heavy doping conduction happens in the diode.
The maximum current that a diode reaches is Ip and voltage applied is Vp. The
current value decreases, when more amount of voltage is applied. Current keeps
decreasing until it reaches a minimal value as shown in Fig.1
TUNNEL DIODE
Tunnel Diode Working Phenomenon
➢ Unbiased Tunnel Diode
In an unbiased tunnel diode, no voltage will be
applied to the tunnel diode. Here, due to heavy
doping, the conduction band of n – type
semiconductor overlaps with the valence band of
p – type material. Electrons from n side and holes
from p side overlap with each other and they will
be at same energy level.
Some electrons tunnel from the conduction band
of n-region to the valence band of p-region when
temperature increases. Similarly, holes will move
from valence band of p-region to the conduction
band of n-region. Finally, the net current will be
zero since equal numbers of electrons and holes
flow in opposite direction.
TUNNEL DIODE
➢ Small Voltage Applied to the Tunnel Diode
When a small voltage, that has lesser value than the
built-in voltage of the depletion layer, is applied to the
tunnel diode, there should be no flow of forward
current through the junction. Nevertheless, a minimal
number of electrons from the conduction band of n
region will start tunneling to valence band in p region.
Therefore, this movement creates a small forward
biased tunnel current. When a small voltage is applied,
tunnel current starts to flow.
TUNNEL DIODE
➢ Increased Voltage Applied to the
Tunnel Diode
When the amount of voltage applied is
increased, the number of free electrons
generated at n side and holes at p side is also
increased. Due to voltage increase, overlapping
between the bands also increases.
Maximum tunnel current flows when the energy
level of n-side conduction band and the energy
level of a p-side valence band become equal.
TUNNEL DIODE
➢ Further Increased Voltage Applied to
the Tunnel Diode
A further increase in the applied voltage will
cause a slight misalignment of the conduction
band and valence band. Still there will be an
overlap between conduction band and valence
band. The electrons move from conduction band
to valence band of p region. Therefore, this
causes small current to flow. Hence, tunnel
current starts decreasing.
TUNNEL DIODE
➢ Largely Increased Voltage Applied to
the Tunnel Diode
The tunneling current will be zero when applied
voltage is increased more so as to reach the
maximum value. At these voltage levels, the
valence band and the conduction band do not
overlap.
In this condition, current portion in the curve
decreases when the voltage increases and this is
the negative resistance of tunnel diode. Such
diodes operating in negative resistance region are
used as amplifiers or oscillators.
TUNNEL DIODE
When the applied voltage becomes more than the built-in potential of the depletion
layer the forward current starts flowing through the tunnel diode. This makes tunnel
diode to operate the same way as a p-n junction diode
APPLICATIONS OF TUNNEL DIODE
➢ Tunnel diode can be used as a switch, amplifier, and oscillator.
➢ Since it shows a fast response, it is used as high frequency component.
➢ Tunnel diode acts as logic memory storage device.
➢ These could be used in oscillator circuits, and in FM receivers.
