A detailed study for the d.c. field and carrier current density profiles of linearly graded double drift avalanche diodes is presented taking into account the effect of impurity and mobile charge density and the realistic field dependance of the ionization rates and drift velocities for the charge carriers. The study involves finding the location and magnitude of the electric field maximum by an iterative method. A small shift in the position of the electric field maximum towards the p-side of the metallurgical junction is observed which increases with increasing current density and decreasing doping gradient. The maximum field and the depletion layer width change sharply with doping gradient but very slightly with d.c. current density. Over a larger fraction of the depletion layer, hole current density exceeds electron current density and hole dominance increases with decreasing doping gradient. The avalanche centre where Jp = Jn is found to be always on the n-side of the junction. © 1979.