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Diode Characteristics

The document discusses the V-I characteristics of a PN-junction diode including forward and reverse bias regions. It explains how the depletion region width changes with applied voltage and can break down through avalanche or Zener breakdown if the reverse voltage is too high. Temperature effects are also covered where increasing temperature shifts the V-I curve to the left and increases reverse saturation current.

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20 views18 pages

Diode Characteristics

The document discusses the V-I characteristics of a PN-junction diode including forward and reverse bias regions. It explains how the depletion region width changes with applied voltage and can break down through avalanche or Zener breakdown if the reverse voltage is too high. Temperature effects are also covered where increasing temperature shifts the V-I curve to the left and increases reverse saturation current.

Uploaded by

ali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Diode V-I characteristics

1
Graphical
PN-Junction Diode V-I Characteristic
 The V-I characteristics or Volt-ampere characteristics
depict the diode behavior and help in understanding the
diode operation in both forward and reverse direction.
 The horizontal line in the below figure represents the
amount of voltage applied across the p-n junction diode
whereas the vertical line represents the amount of
current flows in the p-n junction diode.
 The V-I characteristics can be subdivided into two-
Forward and reverse characteristics.

2
Graphical
PN-Junction Diode V-I Characteristic

Forward Bias Region


Reverse Bias Region

Reverse
breakdown

3
Forward Characteristics

4
Reverse Characteristics
 If the negative terminal of the battery is connected to the p-
type semiconductor and the positive terminal of the battery is
connected to the n-type semiconductor, the diode is said to be
in reverse bias.
 If the external reverse voltage applied on the p-n junction
diode is increased, the free electrons from the n-type
semiconductor and the holes from the p-type semiconductor
are moved away from the p-n junction.
 This increases the width of depletion region.
 The wide depletion region of reverse biased p-n junction
diode completely blocks the majority charge carrier current.
 Minority carrier current flows instead.

5
Reverse Characteristics

6
Reverse Characteristics
 the voltage or point at which the electric current reaches
its maximum level and further increase in voltage does
not increase the electric current is called reverse
saturation current.
 The reverse saturation current is depends on the
temperature. If temperature increases the generation of
minority charge carriers increases.
 Hence, the reverse current increases with the increase in
temperature.
 reverse saturation current in the germanium diodes is
greater than the silicon diodes.

7
Depletion Region Breakdown
 Reverse voltage damages the depletion region at the
junction is called depletion region breakdown.
 The width of the depletion region increases with the
increase in voltage only up to a certain value or point.
 If the reverse voltage applied on the p-n junction diode is
increased beyond that value or point, the junction breaks
down and allows a large reverse current.
 At this point, a small increase in the voltage will rapidly
increase the electric current.
 The voltage or point at which junction breakdown occurs
is called breakdown voltage.

8
Depletion Region Breakdown
 The breakdown voltage of a p-n junction diode depends
on the width of depletion region.
 The p-n junction diodes with wide depletion region have
high breakdown voltage whereas the p-n junction diodes
with narrow depletion region have low breakdown
voltage.
 Depletion region breakdown occurs in two ways.
 Avalanche breakdown
 Zener breakdown

9
Avalanche breakdown
 The generation of minority carriers in the reverse biased p-n
junction diode does not depend on the applied reverse
voltage. It depends only on the temperature.
 However, the applied reverse voltage on the p-n junction diode
supplies energy to the minority carriers (free electrons at p-
type and holes at n-type semiconductor).
 The free electrons, which gain energy from the external
voltage are accelerated to greater velocities.
 Further increase in reverse voltage speeds up the charges.
 High speed electrons knock out electrons from other atoms
creating electron hole pairs- a situation called carrier
multiplication.
 That situation of carrier multiplication means large reverse current
which causes junction breakdown also called Avalanche breakdown

10
Avalanche breakdown

11
Temperature Effects on V-I characteristics

Increasing temperature causes shift in V-I characteristics to left

12
Temperature Effects on V-I characteristics

13
**Electronic devices and circuits by Robert Boylested
Examples

14
Examples

Diode arrangement used in logic circuits ≈ Equivalent circuit


15
Examples

Calculate output voltage

Result

16
Examples

Calculate output voltage

17
End of Lecture

18

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