Tunnel diode with asymmetric spacer layers for use as microwave detector

A novel single-barrier, intraband tunnel diodes with asymmetric spacer layers has been designed and fabricated. The structural asymmetry leads to asymmetric current-voltage characteristics and makes the diodes suitable for use as zero-bias microwave detectors. The voltage sensitivity as 9.375 GHz shows a weak temperature dependence (typically less than 1 dB variation over -40 degrees -+80 degrees C, compared with 3 dB for a zero-bias Schottky diode). The maximum microwave power handling is also superior to a germanium back diode (1 dB rolloff typically at +10 dBm compared with -10 dBm for the Ge back diode) and similar to a zero-bias Schottky diode.