Tunnel Diode

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Tunnel Diode
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The tunnel diode is also known as the “Esaki Diode”. It was
invented by “Leo Esaki” in 1957, and for this invention, he
received Nobel in 1973. It exhibits negative resistance,
negative resistance means current decreases when voltage
increases.
What is a Tunnel Diode?
A tunnel diode is a very heavily doped p-n junction diode. In a
Tunnel diode electric current decreases as the applied voltage
increases, and at high voltage, it works as an ordinary p-n
junction diode. In the Tunnel Diode, electric current is due to
the “Tunneling effect”. Due to its fast switching ability, it is
used in high-frequency oscillators and amplifiers. Due to the
tunneling effect, charge carries moves across the depletion
layer at very low voltage. The circuit shown below is the
symbolic diagram of the Tunnel diode. In tunnel diode the p-
terminal acts as an anode and the n-terminal acts as a cathode.
Tunnel Diode Symbol
Working of Tunnel Diode

Width of the depletion region depends on the level of doping in
semiconductor materials, If the doping level is high then the
width of the depletion region is thin and if the doping level is
low then width of depletion layer is more. In tunnel diode the
width of the depletion region is very thin(because tunnel diode
is very highly doped semiconductor device), thus when low
voltage is applied across the terminal in forward biasing
electron moves across the depletion from n-type semiconductor
towards p-type semiconductor.
1. Unbiased condition or Unbiased Tunnel Diode
At unbiased condition means when no voltage is applied band
of n-type is overlapped with the p-type semiconductor material,
due to heavy doping.
Because of overlapping the electron of conduction band of n-

type and the hole of valence band of p-type are nearly at same
level. thus when temperature increase some electron tunnel
from conduction band of n-type to valence band of p-type and
some hole tunnel from valence band p-type to conduction band
n-type semiconductor material, but the current flow is zero
because the number of tunneled electron and holes are same
but in opposite direction.
2. In Forward Biased Condition (Some positive voltage is
applied across tunnel diode)
When a small positive voltage is applied less than the potential
of the depletion region. In this condition some of the electron of
conduction band of n-type tunnel in empty valence band of p-
type, this creates a small current flow through the diode.
3. At Vp (voltage is increased further)

When voltage is increased a large number of free electron at n-
side and holes at p-side generates. Because of the increase in
voltage the over lapping is increased. Energy level of
conduction band of n-type is exactly equal to the energy level
of valence band at p-type result maximum tunnel current flow.
4. If applied voltage is more than peak voltage(V>Vp)
When we further increase the voltage more than the peak
voltage, the energy level of conduction band at n-side and the
valence band at p-side misalign. Due to this misalignment
tunneling of charge carrier decreases, as result decrease in
tunnel current.
If the applied voltage is increased largely then the tunnel diode

behaves like an ordinary diode, and show zero tunnel current
and maximum diode current. If the applied voltage is greater
than the voltage of the depletion layer the tunnel current start
decreasing till the valley voltage level after that current
increase exponentially.
Operating Region of Tunnel Diode
Ohmic region:- Portion of the curve in which current increases
linearly is known as ohmic region. In ohmic region tunnel diode
behaves like linear diode. Biasing voltage of ohmic region is
zero to peak voltage.
Negative resistance region :- Portion of the curve in which
tunnel current decreases known as negative resistance region.
Biasing voltage is from peak voltage to the valley voltage.
Negative resistance region is widely used characteristic of
tunnel diode.
Saturation region:- At very high voltage diode attained
saturation level in saturation region tunnel diode behaves like a
forward biased ordinary diode in which current increases
exponentially.
Types of Tunnel Diode
There are different types of tunnel diode based on their
structure and material used in their development.
1. Single-Well Tunnel Diode: This type of diode exhibits
negative differential resistance and is used in amplifiers and
oscillator circuits.
2. Double-Barrier Tunnel Diode: This diode is used in
applications such as millimeter wave oscillators because it
operate at higher frequencies.
3. Superlattice Tunnel Diode: This is used for more precise
control over the tunneling process and can lead to improved
performance characteristics.
4. Resonant Tunnel Diode
5. Esaki Inter-band Tunnel Diode: Esaki inter-band tunnel
diode is an extension of the traditional tunnel diode is used for
higher-frequency applications.
Advantage of Tunnel Diode
 Very small size.
 Easy to fabricate.
 Low cost.
 Low power consumption.
 Long life.
 Low noise.
 High speed.
Disadvantage of Tunnel Diode
 No proper DC isolation.
 Smaller voltage swing.
 Can not be fabricated in large amount.
Applications of Tunnel Diode
 Tunnel diode have fast switching characteristic so it is used in
microwave application.
 It is used ii relaxation oscillator circuit.
 Used as logic memory storage devices.
 Used in FM receivers.

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Working of Tunnel Diode

Because of overlapping the electron of conduction band of n-

3. At Vp (voltage is increased further)

If the applied voltage is increased largely then the tunnel diode

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