We analyze the current density-voltage characteristics of double-barrier tunneling diodes, with different spacer layers, within the framework of a Poisson solver together with a coherent tunneling approximation for transmission probabilities. We show that varying the spacer layer thickness, together with barrier heights, changes dramatically the current density-voltage characteristics line shape, which is revealed to be an important qualitative signature of the tunneling paths involved in the double-barrier diodes under operation.© 1995 American Institute of Physics.