Introduction, Nov. 1970

After more than five years of intensive research and development, avalanche diodes and transferred electron devices are established as useful and reliable microwave power generators. They have recently been employed increasingly in both military and commercial systems. Many manufacturers now have production capabilities for these devices, and fabrication technology has reached a sophisticated level. Volume production at relatively low cost is now feasible. Avalanche diodes and transferred electron devices now compete favorably on a cost and performance basis with vacuum tubes and solid-state harmonic generators in a wide variety of power-generation applications.