C. Kidner

Power and stability limitations of resonant tunneling diodes

Stability criteria for resonant tunneling diodes are investigated. Details of how extrinsic elements, such as series inductance and parallel capacitance, affect the stability are presented. A GaAs/AlAs/InGaAs/AlAs/GaAs double-barrier diode is investigated, showing the effect of different modes of low-frequency oscillation and the extrinsic circuit required for stabilization. The effect of device stabilization on high-frequency power generation is described. The main conclusions of the paper are: (1) stable resonant tunneling diode operation is difficult to obtain, and (2) the circuit and device conditions required for stable operation greatly reduce the amount of power that can be produced by these devices. >

Bias circuit instabilities and their effect on the d.c. current-voltage characteristics of double-barrier resonant tunneling diodes

Abstract Bias circuit stability has important implications for the study and application of double-barrier resonant tunneling structures. Stability criteria for resonant tunneling diodes are investigated for the common bias circuit topologies. A systematic study was made of the effect of different bias circuit elements on the measured d.c. I − V curves. A double-barrier diode was studied as an example, with experimental and theoretical results. The main results of the paper are (1) stable resonant tunneling diode operation is difficult to obtain, (2) the low-frequency oscillation introduces a characteristic signature in the measured d.c. I − V characteristic.

Active two-terminal devices as local oscillators for low-noise receiver systems at submillimeter wave frequencies

ContentsThe power capabilities of three different two-terminal devices, GaAs IMPATT diodes, InP Gunn devices and GaAs TUNNETT diodes are evaluated. Two different selective etching technologies have been employed to fabricate devices on either a diamond heat sink or an integral heat sink. The reported RF power levels in fundamental mode are 20 mW at 120 GHz and 15 mW at 135 GHz for D-band GaAs IMPATT diodes, 21 mW at 120 GHz, 17 mW at 133 GHz and 8 mW at 155 GHz for D-band InP Gunn devices and up to 35 mW around 103 GHz for W-band GaAs TUNNETT diodes. Typical de to RF conversion efficiencies range from 0.9% up to over 4.0%. In second harmonic mode power levels of 0.25 mW at 223 GHz were measured from TUNNETT diodes and 0.4 mW at 220 GHz from a Gunn device.ÜbersichtDie Leistungsfähigkeit dreier verschiedener Zweipolbauelemente, GaAs-IMPATT-Dioden, InP-Gunn-Bauelemente und GaAs-TUNNETT-Dioden, wird untersucht. Zwei unterschiedliche Herstellungsverfahren mit selektivem Ätzen wurden eingesetzt, um Bauelemente auf einer Diamant- bzw. integrierten Wärmesenke herzustellen. Hochfrequenzausgangsleistungen von 20 mW bei 120 GHz und 15 mW bei 135 GHz wurden mit GaAs-IMPATT-Dioden für das D-Band erzielt, 21 mW bei 120 GHz, 17 mW bei 133 GHz und 8 mW bei 155 GHz mit InP-Gunn-Bauelementen für das D-Band und bis zu 35 mW um 103 GHz mit GaAs-TUNNETT-Dioden für das W-Band. Typische Hochfrequenzwirkungsgrade lagen zwischen 0,9% und über 4%. Bei der ersten Oberwelle wurden mit TUNNETT-Dioden HF-Leistungen von 0,25 mW bei 223 GHz gemessen und 0,4 mW bei 220 GHz mit einem Gunn-Bauelement.

A CW GaAs TUNNETT Diode Source for 100 GHz and Above

GaAs p++n+nn+ TUNNETT diodes have been designed for operation around 100 GHz using a saturated drift velocity of 4.6 × 106 cms¿1 for electrons at high electric fields and a temperature of 500 K. Diodes on integral heat sinks have been successfully fabricated and tested in this frequency range in a WR-10 full-height waveguide cavity with a resonant cap on top of the diode. A DC to RF conversion efficiency of 3.4 % has been obtained at 101.8 GHz and an output power of 33 mW. These results are the best reported from TUNNETT diodes to date. These GaAs TUNNETT diodes have shown clean spectra as free running oscillators.

Design, fabrication and evaluation of tunnel transit-time diodes for V-band and W-band power generation

The authors have successfully designed and tested GaAs p/sup +/n/sup +/n/sup -/n/sup +/ single-drift tunnel injection transit-time (TUNNETT) diodes for V-band and W-band operation. The basic structure and electric field profile of the device are shown. Both designs operated within the range of frequencies expected. The V-band devices produced 26 mW at 58 GHz with 1.4% efficiency. The W-band devices produced 33 mW at 93.5 GHz with 2.65% efficiency. The oscillations had a clean spectrum. The devices were fabricated from molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)-grown material.<<ETX>>

Resonant-tunneling diode stability and its consequences for high-frequency operation

The existence of negative resistance in double barrier resonant tunneling structures has led to the proposal of various applications for these devices. For many of these applications, stability is an important consideration. This paper will discuss the effect that various device parameters have on stability and on the capability of high frequency device operation. It is concluded that the circuit and device conditions required for stable operation greatly reduce the amount of power that can be produced by these devices at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies.