Estudo Teórico e Experimental do Diodo Túnel e Modelagem de Circuitos Osciladores
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Abstract
The tunnel diode, known for the phenomenon of negative differential resistance (NDR), is a fundamental device for high-frequency applications such as oscillators and amplifiers. In this context, this work presents a theoretical and experimental study of the 1N3712 germanium (Ge) tunnel diode. Firstly, the I-V characteristic curve of the device was experimentally characterized. The parameters extracted from this curve were validated against the manufacturer’s nominal data, showing satisfactory agreement with a maximum error of 9.23%. In this way, using experimental data, a mathematical model based on cubic approximation was implemented to describe the NDR region, which allowed the derivation of negative differential conductance, with a minimum value of −4.6 mS. Subsequently, an oscillator circuit based on a 1N3712 tunnel diode was developed analytically and numerically. Thus, the theoretical cutoff (1.8 GHz) and oscillation (3.2 GHz) frequencies were calculated. Numerical simulations performed using MATLAB demonstrated the circuit’s ability to operate in both damped and stable oscillation modes. The numerical approach was validated by comparing the analytical and numerical oscillation frequencies, which showed an agreement of over 94.4%. Therefore, the output power was analyzed, determining the theoretical maximum limit of Pmax = 47 μW and a conversion efficiency of 40.4%. The analysis also investigated power degradation due to parasitic elements and operating frequency, resulting in output powers ranging from −13.4 dBm (45.7 μW) at 220 MHz to −26.7 dBm (2.2 μW) at 2.23 GHz. Finally, based on the results, it is concluded that the 1N3712 tunnel diode-based oscillator circuit is a potential candidate to fulfill the technical requirements of low-power wireless communication system applications.
