Date of Award

Summer 2003

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Program/Concentration

Electrical Engineering

Committee Director

Ravindra P. Joshi

Committee Member

Linda V. Vahala

Committee Member

Frederic McKenzie

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.E55 V57 2003

Abstract

Gunn diodes are one of the most common high frequency solid-state oscillators at the present time, and are considered as promising devices for millimeter and submillimeter wave applications. Monte Carlo studies of Gunn diodes based on bulk wurtzite GaN have been carried out in this thesis research. Two structures have been examined: (i) devices with conventional single notch structure and (ii) repetitive structures with serial segments to fashion a "multiple domain" device. Wurtzite GaN has been chosen because of the high drift velocity and because analytical expressions for the band structure have recently become available. Performance parameters of interest such as operating frequency, output power and conversion efficiency have been calculated. Variations due to changes in temperature, biasing voltage, and device length are also included. Due to their high frequency and power characteristics, GaN Gunn diodes are used as sources for the generation of millimeter wave signals. It is shown that there is a considerable improvement in output power and operating frequency over the reported results of InP and GaAs. It is also shown that multi-domain Gunn diodes can lead to significant improvements in output power over conventional, single-transit structure, and so such multiple GaN diodes merit serious experimental study.

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DOI

10.25777/nfm0-ny92

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