CHAPTER 1: SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
Prepared by:
RASID, ASIMA U.
EEE134
❑ The diode is a 2-terminal ❑ A diode ideally conducts in
device. only one direction.
Conduction Region Non-Conduction Region
• The voltage across the diode is 0 V • All of the voltage is across the diode
• The current is infinite • The current is 0 A
• The forward resistance is defined as • The reverse resistance is defined as
RF = VF /IF RR = VR / IR
• The diode acts like a short • The diode acts like open
Materials commonly used in the development of
semiconductor devices:
• Silicon (Si)
• Germanium (Ge)
• Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)
The electrical characteristics of silicon and germanium are improved
by adding materials in a process called doping.
There are just two types of doped semiconductor materials:
▪ n-type
▪ p-type
• n-type materials contain an excess of conduction band electrons.
• p-type materials contain an excess of valence band holes.
One end of a silicon or germanium At the p-n junction, the excess
conduction-band electrons on the
crystal can be doped as a p- type
n-type side are attracted to the
material and the other end as an n- valence-band holes on the p-type
type material. side.
The electrons in the n-type
The result is a p-n junction. material migrate across the The result is the formation of a
junction to the p-type material depletion region around the
(electron flow). junction.
The electron migration results in
a negative charge on the p-type
side of the junction and a positive
charge on the n-type side of the
junction.
A diode has three operatingconditions:
▪ No bias
▪ Forward bias
▪ Reverse bias
No Bias
• No external voltage is applied: VD = 0 V
• No current is flowing: ID = 0A
• Only a modest depletion region exists
Reverse Bias
External voltage is applied across the p-n junction in
the opposite polarity of the p- and n-type materials.
o The reverse voltage causes the
depletion region to widen.
o The electrons in the n-type material
are attracted toward the positive
terminal of the voltage source.
o The holes in the p-type material are
attracted toward the negative
terminal of the voltage source.
Forward Bias
External voltage is applied across the p-n junction in
the same polarity as the p- and n-type materials.
o The forward voltage causes the
depletion region to narrow.
o The electrons and holes are pushed
toward the p-n junction.
o The electrons and holes have
sufficient energy to cross the p-n
junction.
Note the regions for no
bias, reverse bias, and
forward bias conditions.
Carefully note the scale
for each of these
conditions.
Two currents through a diode:
Majority Carriers
• The majority carriers in n-type materials are electrons.
• The majority carriers in p-type materials are holes.
Minority Carriers
• The minority carriers in n-type materials are holes.
• The minority carriers in p-type materials are electrons.
The Zener region is in the diode’s
reverse-bias region.
At some point the reverse bias voltage
is so large the diode breaks down and
the reverse current increases
dramatically.
• The maximum reverse voltage that won’t
take a diode into the zener region is
called the peak inverse voltage or peak
reverse voltage.
• The voltage that causes a diode to enter
the zener region of operation is called the
zener voltage (VZ).
The point at which the diode changes from no-bias condition
to forward-bias condition occurs when the electrons and
holes are given sufficient energy to cross the p-n junction.
This energy comes from the external voltage applied across
the diode.
The forward bias voltage required for a:
• gallium arsenide diode 1.2 V
• silicon diode 0.7 V
• germanium diode 0.3 V
As temperature increases it adds energy to the diode.
• It reduces the required forward bias voltage for forward-
bias conduction.
• It increases the amount of reverse current in the reverse-
bias condition.
• It increases maximum reverse bias avalanche voltage.
Germanium diodes are more sensitive to temperature
variations than silicon or gallium arsenide diodes.
In the forward bias region:
• The resistance depends on the amount of current (ID) in the diode.
• The voltage across the diode is fairly constant (26 mV for 25°C).
• rB ranges from a typical 0.1 Ω for high power devices to 2 Ω for low power,
general purpose diodes. In some cases rB can be ignored.
In the reverse bias region:
The resistance is effectively infinite. The diode acts like an open.
∆Vd
rav = pt. to pt.
∆I d
AC resistance can be
calculated using the current
and voltage values for two
points on the diode
characteristic curve.
Data about a diode is presented uniformly for many differentdiodes.
This makes cross-matching of diodes for replacement or design
easier.
1. Forward Voltage (VF) at a specified current and temperature
2. Maximum forward current (IF) at a specified temperature
3. Reverse saturation current (IR) at a specified voltage and
temperature
4. Reverse voltage rating, PIV or PRV or V(BR), at a specified
temperature
5. Maximum power dissipation at a specified temperature
6. Capacitance levels
7. Reverse recovery time, trr
8. Operating temperature range
The anode is abbreviated A
The cathode is abbreviated K
❑ Diode checker ❑ Ohmmeter ❑ Curve Tracer
An ohmmeter set on a low A curve tracer displays the
Many digital multimeters have Ohms scale can be used to characteristic curve of a diode in the
a diode checking function. The test a diode. The diode test circuit. This curve can be
diode should be tested out of should be tested out of compared to the specifications of
circuit. circuit. the diode from a data sheet.
A normal diode exhibits its
forward voltage:
• Gallium arsenide 1.2 V
• Silicon diode 0.7 V
• Germanium diode 0.3 V
❑ Zener Diode ❑ Light Emitting Diode ❑ Diode Arrays
A Zener is a diode operated in An LED emits photons when it is Multiple diodes can be packaged
reverse bias at the Zener voltage forward biased. These can be in the together in an integrated circuit (IC).
(VZ). infrared or visible spectrum.
The forward bias voltage is usually
Common Zener voltages are in the range of 2 V to 3V.
between 1.8 V and 200 V
A variety of combinations exist.
Common Anode
Common Cathode
Electronic Devices and Circuit
Theory, 10/e Robert L. Boylestad
and Louis Nashelsky
