The term tunnel diode also called as Esaki diode, this name comes after Leo saki, It was invented in August 1957 by Leo Esaki, Yuriko, and Takashi Suzuki when they were working at Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo. After in 1973 received the Nobel prize in physics for discovering the electron tunneling effect used in these diodes. A tunnel diode is one type of semiconductor diode that has negative resistance due to the quantum mechanical effect called tunneling. The tunnel diode is a highly conductive, heavily doped PN junction diode in which the electric current decreases as the voltage increases. The tunnel diode is a two terminal device with one n-type of semiconductor cathode and other p-type of semiconductor act as an anode. In tunnel diode electric current is caused by the tunneling effect. The tunneling is the phenomenon of conduction in the semiconductor material in which the charge carrier punches the barrier instead of climbing through i
A tunnel diode is used in high-frequency oscillators, computer, and amplifier. The concentration of the impurity in the normal PN junction diode is about 1 part in 10^8 but in the tunnel diode, the concertation of impurity is about 1 part in 10^3. The diode conducts current both in forward as well as in the reverse direction.
A tunnel diode is used in high-frequency oscillators, computer, and amplifier. The concentration of the impurity in the normal PN junction diode is about 1 part in 10^8 but in the tunnel diode, the concertation of impurity is about 1 part in 10^3. The diode conducts current both in forward as well as in the reverse direction.
 |
| Tunnel diode symbol |