Microwave solid state devices

• A wide range of microwave semiconductor devices have

been developed since 1960s for detection, mixing, frequency
multiplication, phase shifting, attenuating, switching,
limiting, amplification and oscillation.
• In most of the low power applications, solid state devices
have replaced electron beam devices becoz of the advantage
of their small size ,light weight ,high reliability, low cost and
capability of being incorporated into microwave integrated
circuits.
• Crystal diodes For mixing & detection
• Schottky diodes

• PIN diodes For attenuation, modulation,

switching , Phase shifting

• Varactor Frequency multiplication,

parametric amplification
• Tunnel diode
• Gunn diode Oscillation

• IMPATT,BARITT, For amplification & Oscillation

TRAPATT
 Microwave solid state devices

• Historically microwave generation and amplification

were accomplished by means of velocity
modulation theory.
• This is done by different microwave tubes like two
cavity klystron and amplifier ,TWT etc.
• However in the past two decades, microwave solid
state devices-such as tunnel diodes, Gunn diodes
,transferred electron devices have been developed
to perform these functions.
 Classification of solid-state devices

•Based on their electrical behaviour

Non-linear resistance type - ex: Varistor(variable resistor)
Non-linear reactance type - ex: Varactors(variable reactor)
Negative resistance type - ex: Tunnel diode, Gunn diode,
IMPATT diode
Controllable impedance type - ex: PIN diode
 TEDs(Transfer electron devices)

•Based on the negative resistance type,

Microwave solid state devices are classified
into two major types:
 Transfer –electron devices (TEDs)
Avalanche transit-time devices
.
 TEDs

• Transferred electron Devices(TEDs) or Gunn diodes are one

of the most important microwave devices used as local
oscillators and as power amplifiers.
• TEDs operate with ‘hot’ electrons whose energy is very
much greater than the thermal energy.
• Unlike transistors ,the Gunn diodes are bulk effect devices.
• The Gunn diode is fabricated from compound
semiconductors such as gallium-arsenide(GaAs),Indium
phosphide(InP) or cadmium Telluride(CdTe).
• J.B.Gunn discovered microwave oscillation.
 Importance of negative resistance

• In a positive resistance , the current through the resistance and

voltage across it are in phase.
• The voltage drop across it is positive and a power of I2R is dissipated
in the resistor.
• In a negative resistance , the current and voltage are out of phase by
180o.
• The voltage drop across it is negative and a power of (-I2R) is
generated by the power supply associated with the negative
resistance.
• In other words: Positive resistance absorb power
Negative resistance generate power
Gunn effect
Gunn discovered periodic fluctuations of
current passing through the N-type Gs As specimen
when the applied voltage exceeded a certain critical
value.(corresponding to an EF of 2-4 Kv/cm).This is
called Gunn effect.
RWH theory
This Gunn effect can be explained on the basis
of two valley theory of Ridley-Watkins-Hilsum(RWH
theory) or the transferred electron mechanism.
• These are semiconductors having a closely spaced energy
valley in the conduction band.
• When a dc voltage is applied across the material ,an electric
field is established across it.
• At low E field in the material ,most of the electrons will be
located in the lower valley.
• At higher E field ,most of the
electrons will be transferred
into the high energy upper valley
where the effective electron
mass is larger and hence electron
mobility is lower than that
in the lower valley.
• Since the conductivity is directly proportional to the
mobility, the conductivity and hence the current decreases
with an increase in E field or voltage in an intermediate
range , beyond a threshold value Vth as shown in fig.

• This is called the transferred electron

effect and the device is also called
‘Transfer Electron Device’ (TED) or
Gunn diode.
• Thus the material behaves as a
negative resistance device over a
range of applied voltages and can be
used in microwave oscillators.
• The basic structure of a Gunn diode is shown in fig.,which
consists of n-type GaAs semiconductor with regions of high
doping(n+).

• Although there is no junction,

this is called a diode w.r.t the
positive end(anode) and
negative end(cathode) of the dc voltage applied across the
device.
• If a voltage or an EF at low level is applied to the GaAs,
initially the current will increase with a rise in the voltage.
• When the diode voltage exceeds a certain threshold value,
Vth. a high EF (3.2kv/m for GaAs) is produced across the
active region and electrons are excited from their initial
lower valley to the higher valley, where they become
virtually immobile.
• If the rate at which electrons are transferred is very high ,
the current will decrease with increase in voltage ,resulting
in equivalent negative resistance effect.
• Since GaAs is a poor conductor, considerable heat is
generated in the diode.
• The diode should be well bonded into a heat sink (Cu-stud).