Title :
Gallium-Arsenide Tunnel Diodes
Author :
Holonyak, N., Jr. ; Lesk, I.A.
Author_Institution :
General Electric Co., Electronics Park, Syracuse, N.Y.
Abstract :
The fabrication and properties of GaAs tunnel diodes are described. The material preparation is discussed; devices are described which have been fabricated consistently with peak to valley current ratios > 15:1, with voltage swings in the range from 0.9 to 1.2, and with current densities from 2000 amp/cm2 to over 10,000 amp/cm2 (and with correspondingly low capacitances, e.g., capacitances as low as 0.2 ¿¿f/ma and g/C figures of merit as high as 5×1010 sec-1). The temperature behavior of typical units is presented. Applications particularly well suited to GaAs units are mentioned.
Keywords :
Capacitance; Fabrication; Gallium arsenide; Germanium; Intermetallic; Materials preparation; Semiconductor diodes; Silicon; Tunneling; Voltage;
Journal_Title :
Proceedings of the IRE
DOI :
10.1109/JRPROC.1960.287545
