Bulacan State University Malolos City, Bulacan College of Engineering

Basic Electronics

13 SPECIAL DIODES

John Carlo Dizon

BSME-4A Professor: Engr. Sevilla M Tuazon

ZENER DIODES
I. Overview
The basic function of zener diode is to maintain a specific voltage across its terminals within given limits of line or load change. Typically it is used for providing a stable reference voltage for use in power supplies and other equipment. Diodes that can be made to conduct backwards. This effect, called Zener breakdown, occurs at a precisely defined voltage, allowing the diode to be used as a precision voltage reference. In practical voltage reference circuits Zener and switching diodes are connected in series and opposite directions to balance the temperature coefficient to near zero.

II. Construction diagram

III. Schematic Diagram

IV. Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

A zener diode is much like a normal diode, the exception being is that it is placed in the circuit in reverse bias and operates in reverse breakdown. The breakdown voltage of a zener diode is set carefully by controlling the doping level during manufacture. This typical characteristic curve illustrates the operating range for a zener. Note that its forward characteristics are just like a normal diode.

VI. Application of the Device

1. Voltage Regulators (in shunt mode) , 2. Surge Suppressors .i.e. for device protection The Zener diode is therefore ideal for applications such as the generation of a reference voltage (e.g. for an amplifier stage), or as a voltage stabilizer for low-current applications. It is always used in reverse bias the main advantage of zenerdiode is, it is used as a voltage regulator ie;out put voltage will remain constant when input varies.

VARACTOR DIODES
I. Overview
Varactor diodes are also known as variable capacitance diodes, because the junction capacitance varies with the amount of reverse-bias voltage. Varactors are specifically designed to take advantage of this variable-capacitance characteristic. These devices are commonly used in electronic tuning circuits used in communication systems. A variable capacitance diode is known as a varicap diode or as a varactor. If a diode is reverse biased, an insulating depletion region forms between the two semiconductive layers. In many diodes the width of the depletion region may be changed by varying the reverse bias. This varies the capacitance. This effect is accentuated in varicap diodes

II. Construction diagram

III. Schematic Diagram

IV. Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

Varactors are operated reverse-biased so no current flows, but since the thickness of the depletion zone varies with the applied bias voltage, the capacitance of the diode can be made to vary. Generally, the depletion region thickness is proportional to the square root of the applied voltage; and capacitance is inversely proportional to the depletion region thickness. Thus, the capacitance is inversely proportional to the square root of applied voltage. All diodes exhibit this phenomenon to some degree, but specially made varactor diodes exploit the effect to boost the capacitance and variability range achieved - most diode fabrication attempts to achieve the opposite.

VI. Application of the Device

A major application of Varactors is in tunning circuits. For example, electronic tuners in TV and other commercial receivers utilize varactors, when used in a resonant circuit, The varactors acts as a variable capacitor, thus allowing the resonant frequency to be adjusted by a variable voltage level as illustrated in fig. 3.23 where the varactor diode provides the total variable capacitance in the parallel resonant band pass filter. Varactor diodes may be used in frequency multiplier circuits. See Practical analog semiconductor circuits, Varactor multiplier

STEP RECOVERY DIODES

I. Overview
The term step recovery relates to the form of the reverse recovery characteristic of these devices. After a forward current has been passing in an SRD and the current is interrupted or reversed, the reverse conduction will cease very abruptly (as in a step waveform). SRDs can therefore provide very fast voltage transitions by the very sudden disappearance of the charge carriers.

II.

Construction diagram

III.

Schematic Diagram

IV.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

The step recovery diode employs graded doping where the doping level of the semi conductive material is reduced as the pn junction is approached. This produces an abrupt

turn off time by allowing a very fast release of stored charge when switching from forward to reverse bias. It also allows a rapid establishments of forward current when switching from reverse to forward bias. When diodes switch from forward conduction to reverse cut-off, a reverse current flows briefly as stored charge is removed. It is the abruptness with which this reverse current ceases which characterises the step recovery diode.

VI. Application of the Device

This diode is used in very high frequency and fast-switching applications. The snap diode, also known as the step recovery diode is designed for use in high ratio frequency multipliers up to 20 gHz. When the diode is forward biased, charge is stored in the PN junction. This charge is drawn out as the diode is reverse biased. The diode looks like a low impedance current source during forward bias. When reverse bias is applied it still looks like a low impedance source until all the charge is withdrawn. It then snaps to a high impedance state causing a voltage impulse, rich in harmonics. An applications is a comb generator, a generator of many harmonics. Moderate power 2x and 4x multipliers are another application An applications is a comb generator, a generator of many harmonics. Moderate power 2x and 4x multipliers are another application.

SCHOTTKY DIODES
I. Overview

Schottky diodes are constructed from a metal to semiconductor contact. They have a lower forward voltage drop than p-n junction diodes. Their forward voltage drop at forward currents of about 1 mA is in the range 0.15 V to 0.45 V, which makes them useful in voltage clamping applications and prevention of transistor saturation. They can also be used as low loss rectifiers although their reverse leakage current is generally higher than that of other diodes. Schottky diodes are majority carrier devices and so do not suffer from minority carrier storage problems that slow down many other diodes so they have a faster reverse recovery than p-n junction diodes. They also tend to have much lower junction capacitance than p-n diodes which provides for high switching speeds and their use in high-speed circuitry and RF devices such as switched-mode power supply, mixers and detectors

II.

Construction diagram

III.

Schematic Diagram

IV.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

Switching regulator power supplies operating at 100's of kHz cannot use conventional silicon diodes as rectifiers because of their slow switching speed . When the signal applied to a diode changes from forward to reverse bias, conduction continues for a short time, while carriers are being swept out of the depletion region. Conduction only ceases after this tr reverse recovery time has expired. Schottky diodes have a shorter reverse recovery time. Regardless of switching speed, the 0.7 V forward voltage drop of silicon diodes causes poor efficiency in low voltage supplies. This is not a problem in, say, a 10 V supply. In a 1 V supply the 0.7 V drop is a substantial portion of the output. One solution is to use a schottky power diode which has a lower forward drop.

VI. Application of the Device

They are used as rectifiers in switched-mode power supplies; the low forward voltage and fast recovery time leads to increased efficiency.Schottky diodes can be used in power supply "OR"ing circuits in products that have both an internal battery and a mains adapter input, or similar. However, the high reverse leakage current presents a problem in this case, as any highimpedance voltage sensing circuit (e.g. monitoring the battery voltage or detecting whether a mains adaptor is present) will see the voltage from the other power source through the diode leakage.

PIN DIODES
I. Overview

The PIN Diode consists of heavily doped p and regions region separated by an intrinsic (i) region. When forward biased it acts like a current-controlled variable resistance. When reverse biased, the PIN diode acts like a nearly constant capacitance. A PIN diode is a fast low capacitance switching diode. Do not confuse a PIN switching diode with a PIN photo diode here. A PIN diode is manufactured like a silicon switching diode with an intrinsic region added between the PN junction layers. This yields a thicker depletion region, the insulating layer at the junction of a reverse biased diode. This results in lower capacitance than a reverse biased switching diode.

II.

Construction diagram

III.

Schematic Diagram

IV.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

PIN diodes serve as variable resistors when the forward bias is varied. One such application is the voltage variable attenuator here. The low capacitance characteristic of PIN diodes, extends the frequency flat response of the attenuator to microwave frequencies. PIN diodes are used in place of switching diodes in radio frequency (RF) applications, for example, a T/R switch here. The 1n4007 1000 V, 1 A general purpose power diode is reported to be usable as a PIN switching diode. The high voltage rating of this diode is achieved by the inclusion of an intrinsic layer dividing the PN junction.This intrinsic layer makes the 1n4007 a PIN diode. Another PIN diode application is as the antenna switch here for a direction finder receiver.

VI. Application of the Device

The PIN diode is used as a dc controlled microwave switch operated by rapid changes in bias or as a modulating device that take advantage of the variable forward-resistance characteristic. Since no rectification occurs at the pn junction, a high-frequency signal can be modulated by a lower frequency bias variation. PIN diodes are used in place of switching diodes in radio frequency (RF) applications, for example, a T/R switch here. The 1n4007 1000 V, 1 A general purpose power diode is reported to be useable as a PIN switching diode. The high voltage rating of this diode is achieved by the inclusion of an intrinsic layer dividing the PN junction. This intrinsic layer makes the 1n4007 a PIN diode. Another PIN diode application is a the antenna switch here for a direction finder receiver. PIN diodes serve as variable resistors when the forward bias is varied. One such application is the voltage variable attenuator here. The low capacitance characteristic of PIN diodes, extends the frequency flat response of the attenuator to microwave frequencies.

PHOTODIODES
I. Overview
All semiconductors are subject to optical charge carrier generation. This is typically an undesired effect, so most semiconductors are packaged in light blocking material. Photodiodes are intended to sense light(photodetector), so they are packaged in materials that allow light to pass, and are usually PIN (the kind of diode most sensitive to light).[19] A photodiode can be used in solar cells, in photometry, or inoptical communications. Multiple photodiodes may be packaged in a single device, either as a linear array or as a two-dimensional array. These arrays should not be confused with charge-coupled devices. A photodiode is a type of photodetector capable of converting light into either current or voltage, depending upon the mode of operation. Photodiodes are similar to regular semiconductor diodes except that they may be either exposed (to detect vacuum UV or X-rays) or packaged with a window or optical fiber connection to allow light to reach the sensitive part of the device. Many diodes designed for use specifically as a photodiode will also use a PIN junction rather than the typical PN junction.

II.

Construction diagram

III.

Schematic Diagram

IV.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

A Photodiode differs from a rectifier diode in that when its pn junction is exposed to light, the reverse current increases with the light intensity. When there is no incident light, the reverse current, Ix is almost negligible and is called the dark current. An increase in the amount of light intensity, expressed as irradiance, produces an increase in the reverse current. A photodiode is a PN junction or PIN structure. When a photon of sufficient energy strikes the diode, it excites an electron, thereby creating a free electron and a (positively charged electron) hole. If the absorption occurs in the junction's depletion region, or one diffusion length away from it, these carriers are swept from the junction by the built-in field of the depletion region. Thus holes move toward the anode, and electrons toward the cathode, and a photocurrent is produced.

VI. Application of the Device

Photodiodes photodiodes are used in similar applications to other photodetectors, such as are used in consumer electronics devices such as compact disc players, smoke detectors, and the receivers for remote controls in VCRs and televisions.In other consumer items such as camera light meters, clock radios (the ones that dim the display when it's dark) and street lights, photoconductors are often used rather than photodiodes, although in principle either could be used.Photodiodes are often used for accurate measurement of light intensity in science and industry. They generally have a better, more linear response than photoconductors.They are also widely used in various medical applications, such as detectors for computed tomography (coupled with scintillators) or instruments to analyze samples (immunoassay). They are also used in pulse oximeters.P-N photodiodes are not used to measure extremely low light intensities. Instead, if high sensitivity is needed, avalanche photodiodes, intensified charge-coupled devices or photomultiplier tubes are used for applications such as astronomy, spectroscopy, night vision equipment and laser rangefinding.

LASER DIODES
I. Overview
When an LED-like structure is contained in a resonant cavity formed by polishing the parallel end faces, a laser can be formed. Laser diodes are commonly used in optical storage devices and for high speedoptical communication. A laser diode is a laser where the active medium is a semiconductor similar to that found in a light-emitting diode. The most common and practical type of laser diode is formed from a p-n junction and powered by injected electric current. These devices are sometimes referred to as injection laser diodes to distinguish them from () pumped laser diodes, which are more easily manufactured in the laboratory. The optically term laser standa for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Laser light is monochromatic, which means that it consists of single color and not a mixture of coherent light, a single wavelength as compared to incoherent

light, which consists of wide band of wave lengths. The Laser diode normally emits coherent light whereas the LED emits incoherent light.

II.

Construction diagram

III.

Schematic Diagram

IV.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

Some laser diodes require special high-power pulsing circuits to deliver large quantities of voltage and current in short bursts. Other laser diodes may be operated continuously at lower power. In the continuous laser, laser action occurs only within a certain range of diode current, necessitating some form of current-regulator circuit. As laser diodes age, their power requirements may change (more current required for less output power), but it should be remembered that low-power laser diodes, like LEDs, are fairly long-lived devices, with typical service lives in the tens of thousands of hours.

VI. Application of the Device

Applications of laser diodes can be categorized in various ways. Most applications could be served by larger solid state lasers or optical parametric oscillators, but the low cost of mass-produced diode lasers makes them essential for mass-market applications. Diode lasers can be used in a great many fields; since light has many different properties (power, wavelength and spectral quality, beam quality, polarization, etc.) it is interesting to classify applications by these basic properties.Many applications of diode lasers primarily make use of the "directed energy" property of an optical beam. In this category one might include the laser printers, bar-code readers, image scanning, illuminators, designators, optical data recording, combustion ignition, laser surgery, industrial sorting, industrial machining, and directed energy weaponry. Some of these applications are emerging while others are wellestablished.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs)

I. Overview

The light-emitting diode (LED) emits photons as visible light. Its purpose is for indication and other intelligible displays. Various impurities are added during the doping process to vary the color output. In a diode formed from a direct band-gap semiconductor, such as gallium arsenide, carriers that cross the junction emit photons when they recombine with the majority carrier on the other side. Depending on the material, wavelengths (or colors)[17] from the infrared to the near ultraviolet may be produced.[18] The forward potential of these diodes depends on the wavelength of the emitted photons: 2.1 V corresponds to red, 4.0 V to violet. The first LEDs were red and yellow, and higher-frequency diodes have been developed over time. All LEDs produce incoherent, narrow-spectrum light; white LEDs are actually combinations of three LEDs of a different color, or a blue LED with a yellow scintillator coating. LEDs can also be used as low-efficiency photodiodes in signal applications. An LED may be paired with a photodiode or phototransistor in the same package, to form an opto-isolator.

II.

Construction diagram

III.

Schematic Diagram

IV.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

Electrons flowing through a PN junction experience similar transitions in energy level, and emit radiant energy as they do so. The frequency of this radiant energy is determined by the crystal structure of the semiconductor material, and the elements comprising it. Some semiconductor junctions, composed of special chemical combinations, emit radiant energy within the spectrum of visible light as the electrons change energy levels. Simply put, these junctions glow when forward biased. A diode intentionally designed to glow like a lamp is called a light-emitting diode, or LED. Forward biased silicon diodes give off heat as electron and holes from the N-type and P-type regions, respectively, recombine at the junction. In a forward biased LED, the recombination of electrons and holes in the active region in Figure below (c) yields photons. This process is known as electroluminescence. To give off photons, the potential barrier through which the electrons fall must be higher than for a silicon diode. The forward diode drop can range to a few volts for some color LEDs.

VI. Application of the Device

The Led can be used in conjunction with a photodiode to create an optical system such as that

shown in fig. 1.35. The light signal created may travel over relatively long distances through the optical fiber, because of the low optical absorption in high-quality optical fibers. Application of LEDs fall into four major categories: First, is the Visual signal application where the light goes more or less directly from the LED human eye, to convey a message or meaning. Next, is the Illumnation, where LED light is reflected from the objects. Third, LED generate light for measuring or interacting with purposes that do not involve the human visual system. Last, LED is operated in a reverse-bias mode and is responsive Narrow band light sensors where the to incident light instead of emitting light.

GUNN DIODES
I. Overview

A gunn diode is solely composed of N-type semiconductor. As such, it is not a true diode. Figure below shows a lightly doped N- layer surrounded by heavily doped N+layers. A voltage applied across the N-type gallium arsenide gunn diode creates a strong electric field across the lightly doped N- layer.

II.

Construction diagram

III.

Schematic Diagram

IV.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

As voltage is increased, conduction increases due to electrons in a low energy conduction band. As voltage is increased beyond the threshold of approximately 1 V, electrons move from the lower conduction band to the higher energy conduction band where they no longer contribute to conduction. In other words, as voltage increases, current decreases, a negative resistance condition. The oscillation frequency is determined by the transit time of the conduction electrons, which is inversely related to the thickness of the N- layer.

VI. Application of the Device

A Gunn diode can be used to amplify signals because of the apparent "negative resistance". Gunn diodes are commonly used as a source of high frequency and high power signals. A bias tee is needed to isolate the bias current from the high frequency oscillations. Since this is a single-port device, there is no isolation between input and output.

TUNNEL DIODE
I.Overview

The tunnel diode has negative resistance. It will actually conduct well with low forward bias. With further increases in bias it reaches the negative resistance range where current will actually go down. This is achieved by heavily doped p and n materials that creates a very thin depletion region. Tunnel diodes are heavily-doped, making them suitable for use in high-frequency communications circuits. These have a region of operation showing negative resistance caused by quantum tunneling,[15] allowing amplification of signals and very simple bistable circuits. Due to the high carrier concentration, tunnel diodes are very fast, may be used at low (mK) temperatures, high magnetic fields, and in high radiation environments.[16] Because of these properties, they are often used in spacecraft.

II. Construction diagram

V.

Schematic Diagram

V.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device Tunnel diodes are heavily doped in both the P and N regions, 1000 times the level in a rectifier. This can be seen in Figure above. Standard diodes are to the far left, zener diodes near to the left, and tunnel diodes to the right of the dashed line. The heavy doping produces an unusually thin depletion region. This produces an unusually low reverse breakdown voltage with high leakage. The thin depletion region causes high capacitance. To overcome this, the tunnel diode junction area must be tiny. The forward diode characteristic consists of two regions: a normal forward diode characteristic with current rising exponentially beyond VF, 0.3 V for Ge, 0.7 V for Si. Between 0 V and VF is an additional negative resistance characteristic peak. This is due to quantum mechanical tunneling involving the dual particle-wave nature of electrons. The depletion region is thin enough compared with the equivalent wavelength of the electron that they can tunnel through. They do not have to overcome the normal forward diode voltage VF. The energy level of the conduction band of the N-type material overlaps the level of the valence band in the P-type region. With increasing voltage, tunneling begins; the levels overlap; current increases, up to a point. As current increases further, the energy levels overlap less; current decreases with increasing voltage. This is the negative resistance portion of the curve.

VI. Application of the Device

There has been some research involving possible integration of silicon tunnel diodes into CMOS integrated circuits. They are thought to be capable of switching at 100 GHz in digital circuits. The sole manufacturer of germanium devices produces them one at a time. A batch process for silicon tunnel diodes must be developed, then integrated with conventional CMOS processes. [SZL] The Esaki tunnel diode should not be confused with the resonant tunneling diode CH 2, of more complex construction from compound semiconductors. The RTD is a more recent development capable of higher speed. They are commonly used in ultra-high frequency (UHF) circuits. UHF circuits operate in the range of 100 MHz to 3 GHz. Perhaps the most common application of a tunnel diode is in simple high-frequency oscillator circuits as in Figure above(c), where it allows a DC voltage source to contribute power to an LC tank circuit, the diode conducting when the voltage across it reaches the peak (tunnel) level and effectively insulating at all other voltages. The resistors bias the tunnel diode at a few tenths of a volt centered on the negative resistance portion of the characteristic curve. The L-C resonant circuit may be a section of waveguide for microwave operation. Oscillation to 5 GHz is possible. At one time the tunnel diode was the only solid-state microwave amplifier available. Tunnel diodes were popular starting in the 1960's. They were longer lived than traveling wave tube amplifiers, an important consideration in satellite transmitters. Tunnel diodes are also resistant to radiation because of the heavy doping. Today various transistors operate at microwave frequencies. Even small signal tunnel diodes are expensive and difficult to find today. There is one remaining manufacturer of germanium tunnel diodes, and none for silicon devices. They are sometimes used in military equipment because they are insensitive to radiation and large temperature changes.

PHOTODIODES
I.Overview
A photodiode optimized for efficiently delivering power to a load is the solar cell. It operates in photovoltaic mode (PV) because it is forward biased by the voltage developed across the load resistance. A photodiode optimized for efficiently delivering power to a load is the solar cell. It operates in photovoltaic mode (PV) because it is forward biased by the voltage developed across the load resistance. The cells are wired in series with metal ribbons. For charging 12 V batteries, 36 cells at approximately 0.5 V are vacuum laminated between glass, and a polymer metal back. The glass may have a textured surface to help trap light

II. Construction diagram

III. Schematic Diagram

V.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

P-type Wafers are loaded back-to-back into fused silica boats exposing only the outer surface to the N-type dopant in the diffusion furnace. The diffusion process forms a thin n-type layer on the top of the cell. The diffusion also shorts the edges of the cell front to back. The periphery must be removed by plasma etching to unshort the cell. Silver and or aluminum paste is screened on the back of the cell, and a silver grid on the front. These are sintered in a furnace for good electrical contact. (Figure below) The cells are wired in series with metal ribbons. For charging 12 V batteries, 36 cells at approximately 0.5 V are vacuum laminated between glass, and a polymer metal back. The glass may have a textured surface to help trap light.

VI. Application of the Device

Alongside a variety of consumer products - electronic watches, calculators, power for leisure equipment and tourism - there is an extensive range of applications where solar cells are already viewed as the best option for electricity supply. These applications are usually stand-alone, and exploit the following advantages of photovoltaic electricity: There are no fuel costs or fuel supply problems The equipment can usually operate unattended Solar cells are very reliable and require little maintenance At the other end of the scale are grid-connected systems which are now being seriously considered to supplement the conventional power generation in many industrialised countries. Although they have yet to become viable on economic grounds, the participation of PV in largescale power generation is viewed with increasing prominence as a means of halting the adverse environmental effects of conventional energy sources.

BACKWARD DIODES
I.Overview

In semiconductor devices, a backward diode is a variation on a Zener diode or tunnel diode having a better conduction for small reverse biases (for example 0.1 to 0.6 V) than for forward bias voltages.The reverse current in such a diode is by tunneling, which is also known as the Zener effect.

II. Construction diagram

III. Schematic Diagram

V.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

The most common function of a diode is to allow an electric current to pass in one direction (called the diode's forward direction) while blocking current in the opposite direction (the reverse direction). Thus, the diode can be thought of as an electronic version of a check valve. This unidirectional behavior is called rectification, and is used to convert alternating current to direct current, and to extract modulation from radio signals in radio receivers. However, diodes can have more complicated behavior than this simple on-off action, due to their complex non-linear electrical characteristics, which can be tailored by varying the construction of their P-N junction. These are exploited in special purpose diodes that perform many different functions. For example, specialized diodes are used to regulate voltage (Zener diodes), to electronically tune radio and TV receivers (varactor diodes), to generate radio frequency oscillations (tunnel diodes), and to produce light (light emitting diodes). Diodes were the first semiconductor electronic devices. The discovery of crystals' rectifying abilities was made by German physicist Ferdinand Braun in 1874. The first semiconductor diodes, called cat's whisker diodes were made of crystals of minerals such as galena. Today most diodes are made of silicon, but other semiconductors such as germanium are sometimes used

VI. Application of the Device

Detector - Since it has low capacitance and no charge storage effect, and a strongly nonlinear small-signal characteristic, the backward diode can be used as a detector up to 40 GHz. Rectifier - A backward diode can be used for rectifying weak signals with peak amplitudes of 0.1 to 0.7 V. Switch - Backward diode can be used in high speed switching applications.

IMPATT DIODE
I.Overview

IMPact Avalanche Transit Time diode is a high power radio frequency (RF) generator operating from 3 to 100 gHz. IMPATT diodes are fabricated from silicon, gallium arsenide, or silicon carbide. An IMPATT diode is reverse biased above the breakdown voltage. The high doping levels produce a thin depletion region. The resulting high electric field rapidly accelerates carriers which free other carriers in collisions with the crystal lattice. Holes are swept into the P+ region. Electrons drift toward the N regions. The cascading effect creates an avalanche current which increases even as voltage across the junction decreases. The pulses of current lag the voltage peak across the junction. A negative resistance effect in conjunction with a resonant circuit produces oscillations at high power levels (high for semiconductors).

II. Construction diagram

III. Schematic Diagram

V.

Characteristic Curve

V. Operation of the Device

The resonant circuit in the schematic diagram of Figure above is the lumped circuit equivalent of a waveguide section, where the IMPATT diode is mounted. DC reverse bias is applied through a choke which keeps RF from being lost in the bias supply. This may be a section of waveguide known as a bias Tee. Low power RADAR transmitters may use an IMPATT diode as a power source. They are too noisy for use in the receiver

VI. Application of the Device

The main application for IMPATT diodes is in microwave generators. An alternating signal is generated simply by applying a DC supply when a suitable tuned circuit is applied. The output is reliable and relatively high when compared to other forms of microwave diode. In view of its high levels of phase noise it is used in transmitters more frequently than as a local oscillator in receivers where the phase noise performance is generally more important. It is also used in applications where phase noise performance is unlikely to be of importance.To run an IMPATT diode, a relatively high voltage, often as high as 70 volts or higher may be required. This often limits their application as voltages of this order are not always easy to use in some pieces of equipment. Nevertheless IMPATT diodes are particularly attractive option for microwave diodes for many areas.