TRAPATT DIODE

ankit_pandey

ANKIT KUMAR PANDEY M.TECH 3rd sem ALLAHABAD UNIVERSITY

Derived from the Trapped Plasma Avalanche Triggered Transit mode device. It is a p-n junction diode characterized by the formation of a trapped space charge plasma within the junction region.

TRAPATT DIODE

ankit_pandey

It

was first reported by Prager in 1967.

It

is a high efficiency microwave generator.

The

TRAPATT diode is typically represented by a current pulse generator and the diodes depletion-layer capacitance.
2

COMPARISON WITH TEDS.

Transferred

electron devices generate relatively low-power microwave radio signals. are no p-n junction in TEDs so frequency is a function of load and natural frequency of device.

ankit_pandey

There

In

TRAPATT diode there is ability to switch very high currents with less than a nanosecond rise and fall times (transition times).

TYPICAL PARAMETERS;
Power

= 1.2 kw at 1.2 GHz

ankit_pandey

Maximum

efficiency = 75% at 0.6 GHz

Frequency

range (operating) = 0.5 GHz to 50

GHz

STRUCTURE;
Typically

silicon with N type depletion region width=2.5 to 12.5 micro m p+ region = 2.5 to 7.5 micro m Diodes diameter range=50 to 750 micro m

ankit_pandey

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
A

high field avalanche zone propagates through the diode and fills the depletion layer with a dense plasma of electrons and holes that become trapped in the low field region behind the zone. basic operation of the oscillator is a semiconductor p-n junction diode reversed biased to current densities well in excess of those encountered in normal avalanche operation.
6

ankit_pandey

The

ankit_pandey

OPERATION;

OPERATION; At point A electric field

is uniform throughout the sample but less than

avalanche breakdown. Diode charge like a linear capacitor.

ankit_pandey

When magnitude of electric field increases above the breakdown voltage. Then sufficient number of charge carriers is generated, the particle current (Ip)

exceeds the external current(Ie), and the electric field is depressed throughout the depletion region, causing the voltage to decreases. B to C a dense plasma of electron and hole is generated.

At point C to D some of the electrons and holes drift out of the ends of the depletion layer the field is further depressed and traps the remaining plasma. 8

A long time is required to remove the plasma as shown in graph from D to E.

At point E the plasma is removed, but residual charge of electron in one end of the depletion region and residual charge of holes in other ends.
ankit_pandey

At point F all the charges that was generated has been removed. The point

F to G the diode charges like capacitor.

At point G diode current goes to zero for half a period and the voltage remains constant at Vs until the current comes back on and the cycle repeats.
9

 The

TRAPATT mode can operate at low frequencies since discharge time of plasma can be considerably greater than the nominal transit time of the diode at high field.
ankit_pandey

The

TRAPATT mode is known as transit-time mode in the real sense that the time delay of carriers in transit (i.e. the time between injection and collection) is utilized to obtain a current phase shift favorable for oscillation.

10

 RF

power is delivered by the diode to an external load when the diode is placed in a proper circuit with the load.
ankit_pandey

11

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGE OF TRAPATT DIODE

Advantages

More suitable for pulsed operation

to 40% efficiency is obtained

ankit_pandey

15

It

can operate between 3 to 50GHz

Disadvantages

Noise figure is greater than 30dB, it is also very

noisy.
12

APPLICATION

Low

power Doppler radars or local oscillators

ankit_pandey

for radars.
Landing Radio

system

altimeter pulsed transmitters for phase array radar

S-band

system.
13

REFERENCES;
MICROWAVE AMPLIFIERS AND OSCILLATORS John W. Lunden, Jennifer E. Doyle. Power frequency characteristics of TRAPATT diode mode- D.L. Scharfetter (23rd oct 1969).

ankit_pandey

Pozar, David M. (1993). Microwave Engineering Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Microwave devices and circuits- S.Y. Liao.

14