A rapid evaluation technique for functional Gunn diodes

A rapid technique for estimating the carrier mobility, average and minimum carrier concentration, and contact resistance in operational Gunn diodes is presented. Although the physical nature of the functional Gunn-effect device (i.e., an n-type active layer with only two n⁺ohmic contacts) restricts what can be measured, it will be shown that information useful for estimating device performance can be obtained if some simplifying assumptions are granted. The procedure is illustrated by data obtained from five separate wafers of vapor-phase, epitaxially grown gallium arsenide.