The Avalanche Injection Diode

The purpose of this thesis is the extension of Gunn\u27s work on the avalanche phenomenon and the construction of n+ - n junction avalanche injection diode. These diodes are semi-conductor devices which have a junction or union of highly doped n-type silicon (n+) and of low doped n-type silicon (n) and have a current constriction, such as a point contract. These n+ -n junction diodes exhibit an incremental negative resistance during junction avalanche breakdown. Avalanche breakdown of the n+ -n junction occurs when a sufficiently high forward bias voltage is applied across the junction to develop a high electric field intensity within the junction and when a high junction current density exists. The theories and research of Shockley through Hogarth, which are pertinent to the subject of this thesis, are discussed briefly. The observations and theories of these men are combined and expanded to develop theoretical expressions for the avalanche breakdown conditions and incremental negative resistance of p-n and n+ -n junction diodes. These theoretical results were verified by constructing n+ -n avalanche injection diodes and observing the volt-ampere characteristics of the diodes. The theoretical and experimental results were compatible within the limitations of the experimental equipment