Diodes are the simplest semiconductor device having only two layers, two terminals and one

junction. The ordinary signal diodes have a junction formed by p type semiconductor and n
type semiconductor, the lead joining p type is called anode and the other side lead joining the
n type is called cathode. The figure below depicts the structure of an ordinary diode and its
symbol.

Power diodes are also similar to signal diodes but have a little difference in its construction.
In signal diodes the doping level of both P and N sides is same and hence we get a PN
junction, but in power diodes we have a junction formed between a heavily doped P+ and a
lightly doped N– layer which is epitaxially grown on a heavily doped N+ layer. Hence the
structure looks as shown in the figure below.

The N– layer is the key feature of the power diode which makes it suitable for high power
applications. This layer is very lightly doped, almost intrinsic and hence the device is also
known as PIN diode, where i stands for intrinsic. As we can see in the figure above that the
net charge neutrality of the space charge region is still maintained as was the case in signal
diode but the thickness of space charge region is quite high and deeply penetrated into the N–
region.

This is due to its light doping concentration, as we know that the thickness of space charge
region increases with decrease in doping concentration. This increased thickness of depletion
region or the space charge region helps the diode to block larger reverse biased voltage and
hence have a greater breakdown voltage. However adding this N– layer significantly increases
the ohmic resistance of the diode leading to more heat generation during forward conduction
state. Hence power diodes come with various mountings for proper heat dissipation.
V-I Charecteristics of Power Diodes
The figure below shows the v-i charecteristics of a power diode which is almost similar to
that of a signal diode.

In signal diodes for forward biased region the current increases exponentially however in
power diodes high forward current leads to high ohmic drop which dominates the
exponential growth and the curve increases almost linearly. The maximum reverse voltage
that the diode can withstand is depicted by VRRM, i.e. peak reverse repetitive voltage. Above
this voltage the reverse current becomes very high abruptly and as the diode is not designed
to dissipate such high amount of heat, it may get destroyed. This voltage may also be called
as peak inverse voltage (PIV).
Reverse Recovery Charecteristics of Power Diode

The figure depicts the reverse recovery charecteristic of a power diode. Whenever the
diode is switched off the current decays from IF to zero and further continues in reverse
direction owing to the charges stored in the space charge region and the semiconductor
region. This reverse current attains a peak IRR and again start approaching zero value and
finally the diode is off after time trr. This time is defined as reverse recovery time and is
defined as time between the instant forward current reaches zero and the instant the reverse
current decays to 25% of IRR. After this time the diode is said to attain its reverse blocking
capability.
From the figure we see that

ta → time when charge from depletion region is removed

tb → time when charge from semiconductor region is removed
Also from the figure we can say that

Where, is the rate of change of reverse current.

The area bounded by the triangular region in the above figure represents the total charge
stored or reverse recovery charge, QR. Hence we can write

Now, for , putting in eq.1 and combining with eq.2, we get

Putting eq.3 in eq.1 for , we get

From eq. 3 and 4 we can see that trr and IRR depends on QR which in turn depends upon the
initial forward diode current IF.
Another interseting parameter is defined for power diodes from its turn off characteristics
known as Softness Factor (S-factor) defined as the ratio of times tb and ta.
Hence,

If a diode has S-factor equals to unity it is known as soft-recovery diode and for S-factor less
that unity it is known as fast or snappy-recovery diodes. S-factor indirectly indicates the
voltage transient that occurs upon the turn off of the diode. Low S-factor implies high
transient over voltage while high S-factor implies low oscillatory reverse voltage.
The total power loss during turn off is the product of diode current and voltage during trr.
Most of the power loss occurs during tb.
In a typical data sheet of power diodes the most important parameters given are IF avg, IF RMS,
VRRM, I2t rating, junction temp TJ, trr, S-factor, IRR. Apart form these many other parameters and
graphs are also provided.
The power diodes can be classified into following categories, summarized in the table below,
as per their properties:
Voltage Reverse
Current
Type ratings recovery Applications Remarks
ratings (IF)
(VRRM) time (trr)

1A to
General UPS, battery
50-5000 several
Purpose ~25µs chargers, welding, –
V thousand
Diodes traction etc.
Amps

1A to
Fast SMPS, commutation
50-3000 several Doping done using
Recovery <5µs circuits, choppers,
V thousand platinum or gold
Diode induction heating
Amps

Metal-semiconductor
Very high frequency
junction, usually Al-Si(n-
Schottky Upto switching power
1-300 A ~ns type), majority carrier
Diodes 100V supplies and
device, hence very low
instrumentation
turn off time

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