Re: LF: RE: Tuesday's riddle (part 2)

["Steve Thompson" <steve@eltac.co.uk>]

On Wednesday 13 November 2002 14:32, you wrote:
> I didn't get anything like that, but the negative voltage generator has a
> pronounced threshold as the device starts to avalanche.
> I wonder if you are getting an effect caused by the capacitive loading of
> the scope probe coupled with, perhaps, a negative resistance region over
> the few mV close to avalanche start.  Again a guess.   Steve's memory of
> Bob Pease's explanation is a bit unexpected, I wouldn't have thought a
> reverse biassed junction would generate light.  After all, LEDs are forward
> biassed in operation.
As best I recall the article, the light is visible with a microscope

Steve