3-13
Figure 3-9A.—Tunnel diode energy diagram with 600 millivolts bias.
Figure 3-9B.—Tunnel diode energy diagram with 600 millivolts bias.
The negative resistance region is the most important and most widely used characteristic of the
tunnel diode. A tunnel diode biased to operate in the negative resistance region can be used as either an
oscillator or an amplifier in a wide range of frequencies and applications. Very high frequency
applications using the tunnel diode are possible because the tunneling action occurs so rapidly that there is
no transit time effect and therefore no signal distortion. Tunnel diodes are also used extensively in high-
speed switching circuits because of the speed of the tunneling action.
Several schematic symbols are used to indicate a tunnel diode. These symbols are illustrated in
figure 3-10 (view A, view B, view C, and view D).
