Unit – IV
SPECIAL PURPOSE ELECTRONIC DEVICES
TUNNEL DIODE
A Tunnel diode is a heavily doped p-n junction diode in which the electric current decreases as
the voltage increases. In tunnel diode, electric current is caused by “Tunnelling”. The tunnel diode is used
as a very fast switching device in computers.
A tunnel diode is also known as Esaki diode which is named after Leo Esaki for his work on the tunnelling
effect. The operation of tunnel diode depends on the quantum mechanics principle known as “Tunnelling”.
In electronics, tunnelling means a direct flow of electrons across the small depletion region from n-side
conduction band into the p-side valence band.
The germanium material is commonly used to make the tunnel diodes. They are also made from other types
of materials such as gallium arsenide, gallium antimonide, and silicon.
The circuit symbol of tunnel diode is shown in the below figure. In tunnel diode, the p-type
semiconductor act as an anode and the n-type semiconductor act as a cathode.
In tunnel diode, the p-type and n-type semiconductor is heavily doped which means a large number of
impurities are introduced into the p-type and n-type semiconductor. This heavy doping process produces
an extremely narrow depletion region. The concentration of impurities in tunnel diode is 1000 times greater
than the normal p-n junction diode.
Unlike the normal p-n junction diode, the width of a depletion layer in tunnel diode is extremely narrow.
So applying a small voltage is enough to produce electric current in tunnel diode.
Working of Tunnel diode
Unbiased tunnel diode
When no voltage is applied to the tunnel diode, it is said to be an unbiased tunnel diode. In tunnel diode,
the conduction band of the n-type material overlaps with the valence band of the p-type material because
of the heavy doping.
Because of this overlapping, the conduction band electrons at n-side and valence band holes at p-side are
nearly at the same energy level. So when the temperature increases, some electrons tunnel from the
conduction band of n-region to the valence band of p-region. In a similar way, holes tunnel from the valence
band of p-region to the conduction band of n-region. However, the net current flow will be zero because an
equal number of charge carriers (free electrons and holes) flow in opposite directions.
Small voltage applied to the tunnel diode
When a small voltage is applied to the tunnel diode which is less than the built-in voltage of the depletion
layer, no forward current flows through the junction.
However, a small number of electrons in the conduction band of the n-region will tunnel to the empty states
of the valence band in p-region. This will create a small forward bias tunnel current. Thus, tunnel current
starts flowing with a small application of voltage.
Applied voltage is slightly increased
When the voltage applied to the tunnel diode is slightly increased, a large number of free electrons at n-
side and holes at p-side are generated. Because of the increase in voltage, the overlapping of the conduction
band and valence band is increased.
In simple words, the energy level of an n-side conduction band becomes exactly equal to the energy level
of a p-side valence band. As a result, maximum tunnel current flows.
Applied voltage is further increased
If the applied voltage is further increased, a slight misalign of the conduction band and valence band takes
place.
Since the conduction band of the n-type material and the valence band of the p-type material sill overlap.
The electrons tunnel from the conduction band of n-region to the valence band of p-region and cause a
small current flow. Thus, the tunneling current starts decreasing.
Applied voltage is largely increased
If the applied voltage is largely increased, the tunneling current drops to zero. At this point, the conduction
band and valence band no longer overlap and the tunnel diode operates in the same manner as a normal p-
n junction diode.
If this applied voltage is greater than the built-in potential of the depletion layer, the regular forward current
starts flowing through the tunnel diode.
The portion of the curve in which current decreases as the voltage increases is the negative resistance region
of the tunnel diode. The negative resistance region is the most important and most widely used characteristic
of the tunnel diode.
A tunnel diode operating in the negative resistance region can be used as an amplifier or an oscillator.
V-I CHARACTERISTICS
Advantages of tunnel diodes
Long life
High-speed operation
Low noise
Low power consumption
Disadvantages of tunnel diodes
Tunnel diodes cannot be fabricated in large numbers
Being a two terminal device, the input and output are not isolated from one another.
Applications of tunnel diodes
Tunnel diodes are used as logic memory storage devices.
Tunnel diodes are used in relaxation oscillator circuits.
Tunnel diode is used as an ultra high-speed switch.
Tunnel diodes are used in FM receivers.
PIN DIODE
The diode in which the intrinsic layer of high resistivity is sandwiched between the P and N-region
of semiconductor material such type of diode is known as the PIN diode. The high resistive layer of the
intrinsic region provides the large electric field between the P and N-region. The electric field induces
because of the movement of the holes and the electrons. The direction of the electric field is from n-region
to p-region.
PIN Diode Structure
The diode consists the P-region and N-region which is separated by the intrinsic semiconductor
material. In P-region the hole is the majority charge carrier while in n-region the electron is the majority
charge carrier. The intrinsic region has no free charge carrier. It acts as an insulator between n and the p-
type region. The i-region has the high resistance which obstructs the flow of electrons to pass through it.
