Abstract
GaAs (doped with Zn and Sn in the p and n parts, respectively) tunnel diode I-V characteristics were studied under hydrostatic pressure. The decrease in peak and valley current was explained using the band-gap pressure dependence and the fact that the Fermi energy is pinned by the DX level at normal pressure for heavy Sn doping. These findings are verified by calculating theoretical normalized peak and valley currents, which substantially agree with the experimental results. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.