Why is a gunn diode called a diode?

Answer 1

A Gunn diode, also known as a transferred electron device (TED), is a form of diode used in high-frequency electronics. It is somewhat unusual in that it consists only of N-doped semiconductor material, whereas most diodes consist of both P and N-doped regions. In the Gunn diode, three regions exist: two of them are heavily N-doped on each terminal, with a thin layer of lightly doped material in between. When a voltage is applied to the device, the electrical gradient will be largest across the thin middle layer. Conduction will take place as in any conductive material with current being proportional to the applied voltage. Eventually, at higher field values, the conductive properties of the middle layer will be altered, increasing its resistivity and reducing the gradient across it, preventing further conduction and current actually starts to fall down. In practice, this means a Gunn diode has a region of negative differential resistance.

Answer 2

A Gunn diode is called a diode because it is a semiconductor device with two electrodes (anode and cathode) that allows current to flow in one direction only, similar to a standard diode. However, unlike a regular diode, a Gunn diode exhibits negative differential resistance, allowing it to generate microwave signals efficiently.