A survey of CW and pulsed Gunn oscillators by computer simulation

A computer simulation survey has been carried out on X-band CW and pulsed Gunn oscillators with a variety of contact conditions. It is shown that devices with a large cathode doping notch will have a nearly constant bias voltage-frequency product for optimum RF power generation. Such a relationship is not clear for devices with a smaller notch that is large enough to cause optimum injection of dipolar space charge. For both types of device there is an optimum ratio of transit frequency and cavity controlled frequency for optimum RF power generation. Several other detailed features of operation that cannot be explained by instantaneous-domain-formation models are dealt with, including the frequency dependence of the device conductance and capacity under conditions of optimum efficiency, and the bias current-voltage characteristics.