In this letter we present a simple but effective single band model for the calculation of the current‐voltage characteristics in InAs/AlSb double barrier resonant tunneling diodes. We have obtained a very good agreement for the overall characteristics and especially for both peak and valley current densities as compared with previously published data. The influence of the doping concentration in the injection layer on the current density is studied, as well as the influence of the quantum well width. We discuss a diode design with a view to tunneling diode oscillators suitable for submillmeter wave mixing. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.