Non-resonant emission diode on silicon cathode with diamond like coating

Abstract

A theoretical model of a microwave diode structure was applied to the base of a silicon cathode with a diamond like coating (DLC) and non-resonant electron emission to study negative conductance of the structure in the framework of the small signal theory. The negative conductance results from delays of electron emission and a transit in vacuum transit layer. For the diode a potential barrier of a difference in electron affinity energy between silicon and DLC is lower than energy of emitting electron and a width of DLC and vacuum transit layers are an order of a magnitude higher than for the diodes before investigated. Therefore the emission delay in the model includes a delay of a ballistic electron transit in DLC besides a delay of an electron tunneling under potential barrier of affinity energy in DLC. A spectrum of the negative conductance depending on parameters of DLC and vacuum transit layer was studied.