Gunn's Diodes - definition
Gunn's Diodes - definition
The Gunn's Diode is a semiconductor device used mainly as a source of microwave radiation. It belongs to the group of transistor-like diodes, but its operation is not based on the classical p-n junction, but on the phenomenon of negative dynamic resistance in a homogeneous semiconductor, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) or indium phosphide (InP). This effect was described in 1963 by John Gunn, after whom the element is named.
The Gunn phenomenon is based on the fact that, under certain voltage conditions, some of the charge carriers are shifted to an energy band with a higher effective mass, resulting in a decrease in mobility and the appearance of areas of higher resistance - so-called high electric field domains. Such a domain travels through the semiconductor structure, generating voltage oscillations with frequencies of several to tens of gigahertz. This phenomenon occurs in structures without connectors, where appropriate doping layers and contact geometries have been used.
Gunn's Diodes are used in microwave generators, radars, communication systems and measurement systems. It has the advantage of a relatively simple design and the ability to operate over a wide frequency band. It is often integrated with a microwave resonator to achieve stable oscillations at a specific frequency. Due to its non-linear properties, this diode is not used as a classic rectifying element, but as an active generator.
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