Gunn Domain Dynamics

Abstract

A phenomenological equation for the motion of carriers in a Gunn diode is written in terms of an average drift velocity and an average diffusion coefficient, both of which are functions of the field only. The equation can be reduced to a simple form in the case of a steady‐state dipole domain with a flat top. Various properties of the domain can be deduced using only elementary analytical methods. As an example, it is found that although the domain boundary shapes change with carrier concentration the domain velocity remains constant and equal to the drift velocity of the carriers in the uniform field regions, provided the mobility is independent of concentration.