A new method of determination of the I-V characteristics of negative differential conductance devices by microwave reflection coefficient measurements

Author

Huang, P. ; Pan, D.S. ; Luhmann, N.C., Jr.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., California Univ., Los Angeles, CA, USA

Volume

11

Issue

12

fYear

1990

Firstpage

570

Lastpage

572

Abstract

A technique to map out all of the I-V characteristics of negative differential conductance (NDC) devices is described. This method uses the DC measurable positive conductance portions of the I-V curve together with the measured microwave reflection coefficients at different RF signal levels and fixed DC bias voltage. The advantages of the method for high NDC devices are pointed out in a stability analysis. The complete I-V curve of a tunnel diode has been obtained with an accuracy within 5% in a proof-of-principal test of this method.<>

Keywords

characteristics measurement; microwave measurement; negative resistance; semiconductor device testing; tunnel diodes; DC bias voltage; DC measurable positive conductance portions; I-V characteristics; I-V curve; RF signal levels; microwave reflection coefficient measurements; microwave reflection coefficients; negative differential conductance devices; stability analysis; tunnel diode; Circuits; Diodes; Frequency; Measurement standards; Microwave devices; Microwave measurements; Microwave theory and techniques; Quantum well devices; Reflection; Stability analysis;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/55.63051

Filename

63051