GaAs Gunn Diodes with AlAs-GaAs-AlAs Resonance Tunnel Cathode

Abstract

The technique for studying the Gunn diodes with electron tunneling injection from a cathode contact has been developed by employing the two-temperature model of intervalley electron transfer in GaAs. Physical phenomena related to the effects of intervalley electron transfer in the diode active region and resonance electron tunneling in n:GaAs-i:AlAs-n:GaAs-i:AlAs-n:GaAs diode cathode region are studied. It is shown that the GaAs Gunn diodes with AlAs-GaAs-AlAs resonance tunnel cathode may have three voltage-spaced zones of millimeter wavelength oscillation. The voltage-current, power and frequency characteristics are found for the diodes with different lengths of i:AlAs layers and cross-sectional areas of a cathode contact.