Physics

Paper No. : 09 Electronics

Module: 3.1 Tunnel diode

Development Team
Prof. Vinay Gupta ,Department of Physics and Astrophysics,
Principal Investigator University of Delhi, Delhi

Dr. Monika Tomar ,Physics Department ,Miranda House

Paper Coordinator
University of Delhi, Delhi

Prof. Vinay Gupta, Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi
Content Writer
Dr. Ayushi Paliwal, Department of Physics, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi, Delhi

Prof. R. P. Tondon,Department of Physics and Astrophysics,

Content Reviewer
University of Delhi, Delhi 1

Electronics
Material Science
Tunnel Diode
 Description of Module
Subject Name Physics
Paper Name Electronics
Module Name/Title Tunnel diode

Module Id 3.1

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Material Science
Tunnel Diode
 Contents of the unit
1. Introduction

2. Tunnel Diode: Operation of Tunnel Diode

3. IV characteristics of tunnel diode:

4. Tunneling process

5. Equivalent circuit

6. Backward diode

7. Summary

Learning Objectives
 Operation of Tunnel Diode
 IV characteristics of tunnel diode
 Tunneling process
 Equivalent circuit
 Backward diode:

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Tunnel Diode
 1. Introduction

Microwave devices are those devices that operate in the range of 1 GHz to 1000 GHz. There
are two important frequencies band associated with microwave region:

(i) Millimetre Band -From 30 to 300 GHz to 300 GHz

(ii) Sub-millimeter band- for frequencies >300GHz.

For operation in microwave region, devices dimensions must be reduced and parasitic C & R
must be minimised. e.g.,MESFET in which Gate length should be reduced to increase cut-off
frequencie and contact resistance (to source and drain) must be lowered so that frequency
response is not limited by RC product. Oher examples of microwave devices include varactor
diode, p-i-n diode, BJT, schottky diode, JFET, MOSFET, MESFET, tunnel diode, Backward
diode, IMPATT diode, etc.

2. Tunnel Diode: it is also known as Esaki diode, first introduced by Dr. Leo Esaki in 1958.
It is basically a PN diode whose both sides are heavily doped. Tunnel diode is associated
with quantum tunnelling phenomena. The tunnelling time across device is very short,
allowing its use well into mm region.

It is used in low power microwave applications, e.g. , local oscillator and frequency locking
circuit.

Operation of Tunnel Diode:

Consider tunnelling (or transmission) coefficient of a particle (conduction electron) through a 1-D
potential barrier. Quantum mechanically, the particle has finite probability of to tunnel across the barrier.
Behaviour of particle in region where qV(x) = 0 (i.e. , x≤0) can be given by
−ħ2 𝑑2 𝜓
= 𝐸𝜓 --------(1)
2𝑚𝑛 𝑑𝑥 2
where 𝑚𝑛 is effective mass of an electron , E kinetic energy and 𝜓is the wave function of the
particle (conduction electron).

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Tunnel Diode
 Figure 1: Tunneling process

The solution of the above equation is

𝜓(𝑥) = 𝐴 𝑒 𝑖𝑘𝑥 + 𝐵𝑒 −𝑖𝑘𝑥 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑥 ≤ 0 --------(2)

𝜓(𝑥) = 𝐶𝑒 𝑖𝑘𝑥 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑥 > 0 ---------(3)

2𝑚𝑛 𝐸
Where 𝑘 = √ ----------(4)
ħ2

For 𝑥 ≤ 0, we have, an incident particle wave function (with amplitude A).

A reflected wave function (with amplitude B).

A transmitted wave function (amplitude C).

Inside potential barrier (0< 𝑥 < 𝑑 ), the wave equation is

−ħ2 𝑑 2 𝜓
+ 𝑞𝑉0 𝜓 = 𝐸𝜓
2𝑚𝑛 𝑑𝑥 2

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Tunnel Diode
 𝑑2 𝜓 2𝑚𝑛 (𝑞𝑉0 −𝐸)
=− 𝜓 -
𝑑𝑥 2 ħ2
----------(5)

The solution for E< 𝑞𝑉0i.e., energy lesser than potential barrier,

𝜓(𝑥) = 𝐹 𝑒 𝛽𝑥 + 𝐺𝑒 −𝛽𝑥 𝑓𝑜𝑟 0 < 𝑥 ≤ 𝑑 ---

--------(6)

2𝑚𝑛 (𝑞𝑉0 −𝐸)

Where 𝛽 = √ -
ħ2
----------(7)

𝑑𝜓
The continuity of 𝜓 and at x=0 and x=d provides four relations between 5 coefficient
𝑑𝑥
(A,B,C,F and G). Thus we can solve for the transmission coefficient (C/A) as

𝐶 𝑞𝑉 𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ𝛽𝑑 −1
(𝐴)2 = (1 + 4𝐸(𝑞𝑉
0
) ------------(8)
−𝐸) 0

𝐶
Transmission coefficient decreases monotonically as E decreases. If 𝛽𝑑>>1, then (𝐴)2becomes
2𝑚𝑛 (𝑞𝑉0 −𝐸)
𝐶 −𝑑√
small and varies as (𝐴)2 ~𝑒 −𝛽𝑑 = 𝑒 ħ2 from (7) ----
--------(9)

For finite transmission coefficient, a small tunnelling distance (d), a low barrier potential (𝑞𝑉0 ),
and a small effective mass (𝑚𝑛 ) is required.

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Tunnel Diode
 3. IV characteristics of tunnel diode:

The heavy doping (doping density about 1000 times higher) on both sides of pn junction
causes the Fermi level be located within allowed bands i.e., within C.B at n-side and in
V.B at p-side. Because of heavy doping depletion region is very narrow (<10 nm) , tunnelling
distance, d, is very small, and thus ξ becomes very large ~ 106 V/cm. At such high fields, a
large tunnel current is observed even at a small reverse bias, causing zener breakdown of the
junction. Tunnel diode is also referred as zener diode with zero reverse breakdown voltage. The
forward bias characteristics is more complex.

Thermal equilibrium energy band diagram:

Figure 2: Thermal energy band diagram

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Tunnel Diode
 The built in voltage of junction is larger than the voltage 𝑉 𝑔 corresponding to the band ga p of
semiconductor. Amount of degeneracies,
𝐸𝑉 −𝐸𝐹𝑃
𝑉𝑝 = -
𝑞
-------(10)
𝐸𝐹𝑛 −𝐸𝑐
𝑉𝑝 = --------(11)
𝑞

Are basically 50 to 100 mV.

At n-type, a small no. of occupied state in C.B, and large no. of unoccupied state.

At p-type, a large no. of occupied state in V.B, and small no. of unoccupied state.

In forward bias, current increases to maximum Ip at Vp and then decreases to min. (IV) at Vv ,
then current increases exponentially with V. The IV curve is result of two current
components: thermal current and tunnel current. Due to small width of depletion region,
electron may tunnel through potential barrier at low forward bias voltage (<0.05V).

Figure 3: IV chracteristics

4. Tunneling process:

let device is operated at low temperatures. So it can be assumed that no filled states above
Fermi level and no empty states below Fermi level on either side of the junction. When biasing

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 is applied, electrons may tunnel from V.B to C.B or vice-versa. However, there are three
conditions necessary for tunnelling:

(1) Occupied states on either side from which electrons tunnel.

(2) Unoccupied states at the same energy level on other side to which electron can tunnel.
(3) A low tunnelling potential barrier height and a small tunnelling distance so that there is a finite
transmission coefficient.
Electrons from occupied states in C.B (on n-side) can tunnel into the empty (unoccupied) states
in V.B (on p-side), causing a flux of electrons from n to p side (i.e. , ICV ).

Similarly, electrons from occupied states in V.B (on p-side) can tunnel into the empty
unoccupied states in C.B (on n-side) constituting the current IVC.

Consider the following cases:

(a) Reverse bias applied: (-ve on p-side and + on n-side)

A large no. of electrons occupied states in V.B (on p-side) corresponds to a large no. of
unoccupied states in C.B (on n-side) IVC. However, electron occupied states in C.B (n-side)
corresponds to only the occupied states in V.B (p-side) [no empty states]implies ICV=0.

Therefore, electrons tunnel from p+ to n+ (IVC). Reverse current IVC increases monotonically,
because more occupied states on n-side will be available as the reverse bias voltage increases
(zener tunnelling).

(b) Small forward bias:

Filled states on n-side corresponds to unoccupied states on p-side that are available to accept
electrons. Since, electrons can tunnel from n-side to p-side causing tunnel current ICV with

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 applied Va (Esaki current). However tunnelling of electrons from p to n is not possible (IVC=0),
because electrons in V.B (p-side) corresponds to occupied states in C.B (n-side) or forbidden
gap on n-side. Thus, net current (ICV) from p to n.

As forward bias is further increased, I becomes maximum (peak current) when the no. of
unoccupied states in V.B (p-side) corresponds to maximum no. of occupied states in C.B (n-
side).

(c) Higher forward bias:

The bands on both sides of junction begin to pass each other. There are fewer available un
occupied states in p-side and thus current decreases. If forward bias is such that the band is
uncrossed i.e., bottom of C.B (n-side) is exactly top of valance band (p-side), there are no
available energy states that corresponds to filled states implying tunnel current equal to zero
(ideally). That is when applied Va=Vn + Vp, then tunnel current = 0.

(d) Much higher forward bias:

Normal thermal current will flow at much higher forward bias. The decreasing region after Ipis
the negative differential resistance region. The value of Ip (peak) and Iv (valley) determines the

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 value of negative resistance. For this reason, the ratio of Ip and Iv is used as figure of merit for
tunnel diode.

Note: Three values of Va for one current, but for a given Va , current has only one value. Because the
dynamic resistance exhibited by tunnel diode is a voltage controlled negative resistance. The negative
differential conductance dI/dVa=0 at both Vp and Vv and has its maximum negative value.
Between peak point and valley point, current decreases with applied voltage (possessing negative
resistance). Interestingly, instead of consuming power negative resistance produces power.
Tunnelling is much faster than normal crossing (of junction) which enables a tunnel diode to switch
ON/OFF much faster than ordinary diode. Negative resistance (-RN) ≈reciprocal of the slope of
IVcharacteristic curve=-dV/dI ~10-200 ohm.
The tunnel diode of Si has Ip/Iv =3:1 and Rn~-200/Ip. To switch diode at high ambient temperature, the
tunnel diodes of Ge (Ip/Iv =6:1 and Rn~-120/Ip), GaAs (Ip/Iv =10:1 and Rn~-200/Ip), and GaSb (Ip/Iv
=12:1 and Rn~-60/Ip , lowest noise) are used.
5. Equivalent circuit:

Advantages: low noise, ease of operation, high speed, low power, insensitive to radiations.
Disadvantages: voltage operation range is 1V or less, two terminal device, provide no isolation between
the input and output circuit.
An empirical form for IV characteristics is
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Tunnel Diode
 𝑉
𝑉𝑎 (1− 𝑎 ) 𝑞𝑉
𝑉𝑝
𝐼 = 𝐼𝑝 𝑉 𝑒 + 𝐼0 𝑒 𝐾𝑇 --------- (12)
𝑝

First term represents tunnel current and second term represents thermal current (simple diode). The
negative resistance can be obtained from first term in eq. (12) as
𝑉 −1
𝑑𝐼 −1 𝑉𝑎 𝐼𝑝 (1− 𝑎 )
𝑉𝑝
𝑅 = (𝑑𝑉 ) = − [(𝑉 − 1) 𝑉 𝑒 ] ----------(13)
𝑎 𝑝 𝑝

6. Backward diode:

The doping concentration on one side of the device nearly or not quiet degenerate. The other side is
usually degenerate. Fermi level on side lies in the allowed band, and on other side lies very close to
respective band edge in the forbidden gap.

Here a large tunnel current is obtained even at small values of reverse bias, but no direct tunnelling is
possible even for a forward bias.
Here no degeneracy on one side (e.g.,Vn≈0). Under reverse bias, electrons can readily tunnel from V.B
into C.B (empty states on n-side), and a large current is observed. No tunnel current component under
forward bias, because there are no occupied states in C.B on n-side. The current in reverse direction for
small bias is larger than the current in the forward direction. Hence, the name backward-diode.
It has a good frequency response, similar to that of a tunnel diode, since there is no minority carrier
shortage effect.
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Tunnel Diode
 7. Summary

 Operation of Tunnel Diode

 IV characteristics of tunnel diode
 Tunneling process
 Equivalent circuit
 Backward diode:

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