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Tunel Diode

The document discusses the characteristics of a tunnel diode. A tunnel diode has a heavily doped p-n junction that allows electrons to tunnel through the depletion region even at low voltages, exhibiting negative resistance. The I-V curve of a tunnel diode shows a peak current at Vp followed by a negative resistance region down to a valley voltage Vv, after which resistance becomes positive again.

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Jaya Surya
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44 views4 pages

Tunel Diode

The document discusses the characteristics of a tunnel diode. A tunnel diode has a heavily doped p-n junction that allows electrons to tunnel through the depletion region even at low voltages, exhibiting negative resistance. The I-V curve of a tunnel diode shows a peak current at Vp followed by a negative resistance region down to a valley voltage Vv, after which resistance becomes positive again.

Uploaded by

Jaya Surya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TUNNEL DIODE CHARACTERISTIC

A p - n junction can be formed either by point contact or by diffusing donor impu


rity in p - type substrate in n - type substrate.In forward bias mode when the supply
is connected such that the positive termjina! of the supply is connected with p - side
and the negative terminal with the n - side the junction is called forward - biased.

When the potential increased across the junction the holes are repelled from the
positive end of supply and are compelled to move towards the junction. In similar
way the electrons are repelled from the negative side of the supply and drifts to
wards the junction, because of the acquired energy some of the holes and elec
trons penetrate the depletion region. This reduces the potential barrier and the
width of the depletion region is reducisd. as result of this more majority carriers
;t
diffuse across the junction. This results in an increased current through the p - n

junction. If the concentration of donour impurity (atom) is greatly increased, the

device characteristics are completly changed. This new diode was theoratically ex
plained by L. Esaki (1958), and pronounced this phenomenon as tunneling effect.

This poses a low potential barrier, and. If such diode is biased, it exhibits nearly
constant conductance from almost zerOjpotential to a value called peak voltage Vp.
Increasing furthur potential (forward bMs)the current suddenly drops and potetial

suddenlyjumps to a new value called Vally voltage. The conductance is low, thus it

exhibits a negative resistance region.

A tunnel diode, because of high doping level, has very small depletion layer, which
reduce its reverse bias breakdown voltage almostly zero. It produce negative resist

ance region which makesit useful to make relaxation oscillator in vicnity of several
Tunnel Diode characteristic - 2.

megahertz range. Since it has vary small cjepletion layer thus electrones are able to
tunnel through this small potential barrier at relatively low cut - off potential (less
i !

than SmV). i
• !

V -1 characteristics :The tunnel diodes are used in forward biased mode only. As
shown in fig 2,from o to Vp,the current called tuunneling current, and from point
Vp to Vv,it is called negative resistance region. From 0to Vp,currentIp corroponding
to voltage Vp, the slope dl/dV is near zero (exhibit very low resistance). If forward
potential is increased furthur beyond Vp,the current decreases. As a consequence,
the dynamic conductance g = di/dV negative. In other mean the resistance in
creases. At point Vv, the conductance is again near zero and beyond it the resist
ance becomes and remain positive as usual diode.
Tunnel Diodeicharacterlstic - 3.

Experiment procedure

object: To draw the tunnel diode characteristics.

1. Connect the given main lead in power source (220Vac).

2. Keep R1 control at minimum (fully counter - clokwise). Switch on power.


3. Gradually increase supply by pot R1 to few mV (say lOmV = .OlOV) across diode.
Note corrosponding reading across diode as V and current as I.

4.Increase the supply with the help of R1 in steps (say lOmV increament).
5. At some voltage(between 60 - 70mV)the current I, suddenly falls and V attains a
new value. At the voltage V, where it happens called peak voltage or Vp and current
as Ip. After it the voltage shown by Voltmeter is called vallyvoltage Vv and current
as Iv.

6. Incerase voltage furthur till the current attains its previous reading. Note the
voltage V as forward voltage Vf. Tabulate the observations.
7. Plot the curve between V and I, to find out the negative resistance region.

Sr No. V

1 ..V .mA

n
Tunnel Diode characteristic - 4.

R2
33£2

VWV"

TUNNEL
DIODE

FIG 1, TUNNEL DIODE EXP CIRCUIT.

Ip.niA
!. ^tunneling current conventional current

Negative resistance region

FIG 2, Typical TUNNEL DIODE (SI) charactristics.

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