p-n-p-n Switching Diodes

SUMMARY The paper describes silicon diodes of p-n-p-n structure which exhibit rapid switching from a high-resistance to a low-resistance state, similar to that described recently by Moll et al. Two types of characteristics are shown, those switching on both the ‘ forward ’ and ‘ reverse ’ branches and those giving ordinary diode forward behaviour and switching on the ‘ reverse’ branch only. A theoretical treatment is given accounting for this behaviour and discussing the nature of the conduction mechanism in the low-resistance state for both directions of current flow.