tunnel diodes

Hello Mark,

I can see some on Ebay but I don't know of any other source. My Father was involved in early attempts to use tunnel diodes in computing in the 60s but they never did much good - none of the big names seem to make them now.

Michael Kellett

perhaps a Gunn diode would be usefull and more plentifull?

Maybe you can find here: http://www.electronicsurplus.com/SearchResults.aspx?Keyword=tunnel - 1N3716, 3717, or at some other surplus shop.

Thanks, Danteo.  I wasn't even able to find parts #s.  Now I at least have

those.

Mark

I found smth usefull information about tunnel diodes and gunn diodes:

Tunnel diode – semiconductor diode characterized by a small thickness of the pn junction, a very high concentration of dopants on both sides and a negative dynamic resistance for a certain range of polarizing voltages. It was invented in 1957 by the Japanese physicist Leo Esaki (hence sometimes it can be named Esaki diode). During research on semiconductor junctions he noticed their thus far unprecedented feature based on the tunnel phenomenon. This phenomenon causes charge carriers move through the narrow barrier layer at a very low voltage.

from here: tunnel diode

I know that's a thinly disguised link to direct to the "911 electronics site" since you're responding to a three-year old discussion, but you might want to try to improve the site first.

To save people clicking, the screenshot below is what it looks like, it has got to be the most useless site on electronics I've seen, and adverts everywhere, and half-finished.

It only has poor information on a few types of diodes, a resistor and a 'coil'. Which apparently is also called a 'Reactor'.

For the record, there is more useful information on tunnel diodes (and without adverts everywhere) using Wikipedia, or this in-depth 26-page paper (PDF) or a dozen other more useful sources.

The link didn't work for me.

In the late 1960s there was some hope that tunnel diodes could be used to make high speed computer logic elements and my father worked on this at Elliot Automation in the UK. In the end transistor based logic turned out to be much easier to implement.

MK

Hi Michael,

Oh, sorry. I've corrected it (Chrome autocomplete interaction issue).

That's interesting to hear. They are fascinating devices but not used nowadays as you say. If I go to the Computer Museum again (in Bletchley) I will try to look out for these, in case they have anything related to tunnel diodes.