Modes of Operation : There are two principal modes of operation that result in microwave oscillations in a Gunn diode, These are the Gunn mode or the transit-time (TT) mode and the limited-space-charge (LSA) mode, Gunn or TT mode ‘When the voltage applied across n* n n* GaAs crystal exceeds a threshold level, electrons are transferred from the low energy, high mobility conduction band to a higher energy, lower or nearly zero mobility sub conduction band, where these heavier electrons bunch together to form a electric field dipole domain near the cathode. Since the applied voltage remains constant, the electric field across the domain is greater than the average field. The consequent electric field remains below the threshold level across rest of the crystal. This prevents the formation of further domains. All the conduction band electrons drift across the crystal at the same velocity and less mobile bunched electrons have reduced velocity. The current in the presence of domain also decreases. After the high field domain had traveled into the end contact, the current returns to its higher level and high field domain is again formed. The movement of high field domain is explained in Fig. 13, Each domain results in a pulse of current at the output. These current fluctuations occurs at microwave frequencies to produce output signal at the low impedance RF circuit with a period equal to the transit time, The high field domain is quenched before it reaches the anode, Therefore, the transit time is shortened and the frequency is increased. This mode of oscillation has a low efficiency of power generation and the frequency cannot be controlled by the external circuit. Cathode node Domain AF circuit, Fig. 13. High field domain movement