IMPATT Diode

Name:- Tuhin Dutta Stream:- ECE Roll: 1011

Introduction

When the pn junction diode is reverse-biased then current does not !lo"# $o"ever "hen the reverse volta%e e&ceeds a certain value the junction brea's do"n and current !lo"s "ith onl( sli%ht increase o! volta%e# This brea'do"n is caused b( avalanche multiplication o! electrons and holes in the space char%e re%ion o! the junction# The pn junction in the avalanche brea'do"n condition e&hibits ne%ative resistance characteristics in the micro"ave !re)uenc( ran%e# Since the ne%ative resistance is based upon avalanche multiplication and transit-time e!!ect o! carriers the device has been called the *+,-TT .*mpact -valanche Transit-Time/ Diode#

Device Structure
The ori%inal su%%estion !or a micro"ave device emplo(in% transit-time e!!ect "as made b( W# T# Read and involved an n+-p-i-p+ structure such as that sho"n in !i%ure# This device operates b( injectin% carriers into the dri!t re%ion and is called an *+,-TT diode# The device consists essentiall( o! t"o re%ions: 1/ the n+p re%ion at "hich avalanche multiplication occurs and 0/ the i .essentiall( intrinsic/ re%ion throu%h "hich %enerated holes must dri!t in movin% to p+ contact#

Principle of operation
K p+ n i
Drift region

n+ A

Avalanche ~V(t) region

I(t)

|ND-NA|

1020 1016 1012

x ideal real x

E(t) Eb n(x,t) E(t) Eb n(x,t) E(t) Eb E(t) Eb n(x,t)

EAC(T/4) T=0 EAC(T/2)=0

IMPATT diode x V(t)=VDC+vAC(t) E(t)=EDC+ EAC(t) EDCEb T=T/4 x

EAC( T/4)

n(x,t) T=T/2 x

T=T/4

EAC(T)=0 T=3T/4 x

IMPATT I-V Characteristics vAC V T/2 T T/2 2T !T/2 t

DC

0 "in#

0 I

T/2

T/2 2T !T/2 iAC

iAC~$vAC rAC%0 &AC=iACvAC/2%0 t Power is transferre to t!e fie" IDC t

T/2

T/2 2T !T/2

Small Signal model 'A K p+ n ( nn+ A I(t) rAC/0 % A rAC%0 / A rAC

Avalanche Drift region 'A region . = A 2v* I DC i / E

C+rrent in avalanche region i) ,ela-e, b- /2 $in,+ctance 0e)onance fre1+enc A = ( .AC A ) 1 =

CA=)*/'A

T-2icall- f=v)/2(

2 ( i / E ) v) I DC A )

Some *+,-TT Circuits

Classification
Device structure is based on the dopin% pro!ile# The three basic t(pes o! *mpatt diodes are:1# Single drift region (SDR) - The SDR diode consists o! a sin%le avalanche 1one and a sin%le dri!t 1one "ith p+nn+ structure# 0# Double drift region (DDR) 2 - DDR diode has a p+pnn+ structure that consist o! t"o dri!t la(ers one !or electrons and other !or holes on either side o! the central avalanche 1one# 3# Double avalanche region (DAR) 2 The D-R diode has a p+nipn+ structure that consist o! one dri!t 1one sand"iched bet"een t"o avalanche 1ones# The electrons and holes !rom the t"o junctions travel across the central i-re%ion in opposite directions and deliver po"er#

lications

These diodes ma'e e&cellent micro"ave %enerators !or man( applications li'e:1# ,arametric ampli!ier 0# ,arametric up converter 3# ,arametric do"n converter 4# Ne%ative resistance parametric ampli!ier#

Summar(
5 *+,-TT stands !or *mpact -valanche -nd Transit Time 5 6perates in reverse-brea'do"n .avalanche/ re%ion 5 -pplied volta%e causes momentar( brea'do"n once per c(cle 5 This starts a pulse o! current movin% throu%h the device 5 7re)uenc( depends on device thic'ness

5 *+,act *oni1ation Transit Time 5 *+,-TT devices can be used !or oscillator and ampli!ier applications 5 The( can be !abricated "ith Si 8a-s and *n, 5 Can be used up 400 8$1# 5 Nois( oscillator 5 *n %eneral *+,-TTs have 10 d9 hi%her -+ noise than that o! 8unn diodes 5 *+,-TT diode is not suitable !or use as a local oscillator in a receiver#

Thank You