Asymmetric spacer layer tunnel diode (ASPAT), quantum structure design linked to current-voltage characteristics: A physical simulation study

The work presented here reports on studies of an Asymmetric Spacer Layer Tunnel (ASPAT) Diode device characteristics exploiting in-house fabricated 4×4 μm
²
GaAs/AlAs and In
_0.53
Ga
_0.47
As/AlAs mesa diodes, grown by the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technique. In this study, a successfully developed numerical model, which is capable of reproducing the strong nonlinear current-voltage characteristics and which is in excellent agreement with measured data, was utilized for further investigations of the diode behaviour. The modelling was developed in Silvaco Atlas utilising the Semiconductor-Insulator-Semiconductor (SIS) model. Owing to the accurate numerical simulation, influences of the barrier width, as well as ratio of the emitter to collector spacers on the I-V characteristics were investigated to gain insight into physical device performances. This work lays the foundations for predictive modelling and analysis of the effect of these important parameters on ASPAT diodes characteristics.