AVALANCHE DIODE

An avalanche diode which will oscillate to generate microwave powers in the frequency range of 2 to 16 gigahertz with efficiencies of up to at least 30 percent. The diode will also function as a microwave amplifier in the same frequency range. The diode includes a body of semiconductor material having two spaced apart regions and a third region between and contiguous to both of the other regions. The outer two regions are of low resistivity and of opposite conductivity type. The third intermediate region is of a conductivity type the same as one of the outer regions and forms an abrupt or hyperabrupt PN junction with the other of the outer regions. The third region is of a thickness of between 0.5 and 3 microns and a resistivity of between 0.5 and 10 ohm-cm.