Properties of millimeter-wave IMPATT diodes

A study of the effect of the doping profile on the properties of IMPATT devices has been carried out and the results of a small-signal analysis for different ram-wave Si IMPATT-diode structures are presented. Properties of single-drift abrupt-junction diodes of both Si complementary structures with different punch-through factors (PTF) are described and compared to those of symmetrical and asymmetrical double-drift diode structures. Since the initiation of the TRAPATT mode may be related to the IMPATT performance, these results should also be useful in assessing the effects of the doping profile on TRAPATT initiation.