Talk:Tunnel diode

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A rough approximation of the VI curve for a Gunn diode, showing the negative differential resistance region

I made this image modeled after some Gunn diode sketches online, but maybe it applies to tunnel diodes too? - Omegatron 04:55, July 31, 2005 (UTC)

That's pretty much what the Quadrant-I V/I curve looks like for Tunnel Diodes as well.

Atlant 22:20, 31 July 2005 (UTC)

Elsewhere, someone asked about semiconductor curve tracers and that set me to thinking more about this image: there's one subtlety that one might argue is lacking in the curent picture. In practice, you can't ever "trace out" parts of this curve because in practical circuits, the diode will "snap" from one state to the other, leaping over large parts of the negative-resistance portion of the curve. I don't know that we need to illustrate that, but I'll mention it here on the talk page if only for completeness. It's really pretty cool to see on the curve tracer "out in the wild".

Atlant 14:35, 10 August 2005 (UTC)

What do you mean snap?

We shouldn't mislead people with the image. Here are a bunch of others [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

It doesn't quite show that flat region... - Omegatron 14:47, August 10, 2005 (UTC)

'Snap' as in an extremely rapid (ns or ps) transition. It's this rapid switch-over that made tunnel diodes so useful as, for example, trigger detectors in oscilloscopes.

Meanwhile, I'm confused about yourpoint re: the picture. I said the current picture was fine and the alternate pictures you've linked seem essentially identical (on inspecting the first two).

Atlant 15:39, 10 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Tunnel diodes are fast

This article is wrong on at least one level; the switching 'frequency' is orders of magnitude higher, development never stopped on TDs. In 1970, the Tektronix S-52 Pulse Generator used a TD to achieve a 25ps rise time step, about a 14GHz bandwidth. PPL sold TD generators that go down to 5ps. Nowadays you'd use a RTD to go even faster. These whacko physics things are always orders of magnitude faster than commercial cmos processes, etc... 207.134.93.241

Well, this is Wikipedia, so you know what to do: be bold and update the page as you see fit! And we'll all thank you for it!

Atlant 14:05, 2 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Merge Esaki Diode with Tunnel Diode

Yes. Esaki invented it. Same device. Should be merged but still call article 'Tunnel Diode' (I like the name)Light current 01:49, 7 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Explanation of reverse bias operation is a little difficult to understand

Could someone please put together a graph of the V/I curve for reverse bias operation of tunnel diodes, too? I found the explanation of its operation when reverse biased too difficult to understand properly without one. Thanks in advance.

[edit] Another resource

This page [9] has further documentation on tunnel diodes. Disclaimer - I'm the author of that copyright violation which is provided as a service with no advertisements, etc. 20 Dec 2005.

[edit] Bandgap Diagram

Does anyone have any tunnel diode bandgap diagrams lying around on their computer somewhere? I was thinking about putting some up if not. It would be helpful to explain the different regions of operation.

[edit] Gunn diode

To me the difference betwee a Tunnel diode and a Gunn Diode is not clear. From both articles I would conclude they're the same which I understand is not the case. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.25.234.146 (talk) 23:31, 23 April 2008 (UTC)