AN INVESTIGATION OF CHARACTERISTICS AND APPLICATIONS OF TUNNEL AND BACKWARD DIODES,
Abstract:
The analyses and measurements are primarily concerned with 1 the energy band structure of degenerate semiconductors deduced from junction characteristics, and 2 the use of the tunnel and backward diode in circuit control elements. The energy band structure of germanium, gallium arsenide, and gallium antimonide semiconducting degenerate material was studied primarily at low temperatures through measurements of tunnel and backward diode characteristics. A simplification based upon the calculations of Price, Radcliffe IBM J. of Rev. and Dev. 3364-371 1959 and Kane J. Appl. Phys. 3283-91 1961 was found to provide the most accurate fit to the current-voltage characteristics of the diodes observed. Potentially useful tunnel diode-resistor networks for control and transducer applications are considered. A detailed analysis has been made for the network consisting of two matched tunnel diodes and a fixed resistor. This network termed the bias-controlled -tunnel-pair appears useful as a basic element for performing peak threshold summation logic with over 30 db. isolation per stage. Author