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Vi Characteristics of PN Junction Diode

Pranay Pathede's document discusses the characteristics of a PN junction diode under forward and reverse bias. It explains that under forward bias, the depletion region width decreases as voltage increases, allowing a large current to flow. It also discusses knee voltage, depletion layer, and static resistance. Under reverse bias, a small saturation current flows due to minority carriers, until the breakdown voltage is reached, causing an avalanche of carriers and large current.

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2K views17 pages

Vi Characteristics of PN Junction Diode

Pranay Pathede's document discusses the characteristics of a PN junction diode under forward and reverse bias. It explains that under forward bias, the depletion region width decreases as voltage increases, allowing a large current to flow. It also discusses knee voltage, depletion layer, and static resistance. Under reverse bias, a small saturation current flows due to minority carriers, until the breakdown voltage is reached, causing an avalanche of carriers and large current.

Uploaded by

Pranay Pathade
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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NAME : PRANAY PATHADE

CLASS : XII
SUBJECT : PHYSICS
BATCH : SCIENCE (C.B.S.E)
COLLEGE : ST. PAUL SENIOR SECONDARY
SCHOOL
V-I CHARACTERISTICS OF FORWARD
BIAS AND REVERSE BIAS OF DIODE
Biasing of PN junction diode
1. Forward bias and Reverse bias
Principle
• If the p-region (anode) is connected to the positive terminal of the external DC
source and n-side (cathode) is connected to the negative terminal of the DC
source then the biasing is said to be “forward biasing”.
• Due to the negative terminal of external source connected to the n-region, free
electrons from n-side are pushed towards the p-side. Similarly the positive end of
the supply will push holes from p-side towards the n-side.
With increase in the external supply voltage V, more and more number of holes
(p-side) and electrons (n-side) start travelling towards the junction as shown in
figure.
• The holes will start converting the negative ions into neutral atoms and the
electrons will convert the positive ions into neutral atoms. As a result of this, the
width of depletion region will reduce.
• Due to reduction in the depletion region width, the barrier potential will also
reduce. Eventually at a particular value of V the depletion region will collapse.
Now there is absolutely no opposition to the flow of electrons and holes.
Hence a large number of electrons and holes (majority carriers) can cross the
junction under the influence of externally connected DC voltage.
The formation of depletion layer in PN junction.
• At the instant P-N junction formation, the free electrons near the
junction in the N- region begin to diffuse across the junction in to P-
region where they combine with holes near the junction.
• The result is that N-region loses free electrons this creates a layer of
positive charges (pentavalent ions) near the junction.
• The P-region loses holes and the result that there is a negative
charges (trivalent ions near the junction.
• The shaded region on both sides of the junction in Fig. below contains
only immobile ions and no free charge carriers such as electrons or
holes.
• In other words this region is depleted of free charge carriers.
Therefore region is called as depletion region.
• Once P-N junction is formed and depletion layer is created the
diffusion of free electrons stops.
• The positive and negative charges set an electric field.
i)Reverse saturation current: In reverse bias condition there
will be negligible amount of current that will flow through
the device due to minority carrier which is called as reverse
saturation current.
ii. Knee voltage: The applied forward voltage at which the
PN junctions start conducting is called the cut-in voltage. It
is also known as knee voltage (Vk or Vz). The value of cut-in
voltage is 0.7 V for Silicon and 0.3 V for Germanium PN
junction diodes.
iii. Depletion layer: The region in PN junction which
comprises of immobile ions is called depletion region.
iv. Static resistance of diode: The resistance of a diode at
the operating point can be obtained by taking the ratio of
VF and IF. The resistance offered by the diode to the
forward DC operating conditions is called as “DC or static
resistance”.
Avalanche break down in P- N junction
diode.
•Under reverse bias condition, the minority carrier flowing
through the P- N junction acquires a kinetic energy
depending upon the velocity with which they move.
• The increase in reverse voltage increases the amount of
kinetic energy imparted to minority carrier, as they diffuse
across the PN junction.
• When sufficient voltage is applied, the minority carrier
acquires a large amount of kinetic energy (or momentum).
• When these minority carriers collide with semiconductor
(Germanium or silicon) atoms within the crystal structure of
a PN junction they impart sufficient energy to break
covalent bond and generate additional carrier (i.e.
electron- hole pairs).
•They knock out the electrons from the covalent bonds of
a PN junction.
• These additional carriers pick up the energy from the
applied voltage and generate still more carriers. As a
result of this, the reverse current through the PN junction
increase.
•The cumulative process of carrier generation (i.e.
multiplication) is known as avalanche breakdown.
• Under breakdown condition, the reverse current is no
longer limited by the PN junction. But it can be limited
only by the circuit components.
• The value of breakdown voltage depends upon the
degree of doping in PN junction.
The forward and reverse characteristics of PN junction
diode
•The forward characteristic is the graph of the anode to
cathode forward voltage VF versus the forward current
through the diode (IF).

• The forward characteristics is divided into two portions, AB


and BC

•Region A to B of the forward characteristics.


•The forward voltage is small and less than the cut in
voltage. Therefore the forward current flowing through the
diode is small. With further increase in the forward voltage,
it reaches the level of the cut in voltage and the width the
depletion region goes on decreasing
Region B to C:

•As soon as the forward voltage equals the cut in voltage,


current through the diode increase suddenly. The nature of
this current is exponential. The large forward current in the
region B-C of the forward characteristics is limited by
connecting a resistor R in series with the diode. Forward
current is of the order of a few mA.

• The forward current is a conventional current that flows


from anode to cathode. Therefore it is considered to be a
positive current, and the forward characteristics appears in
the first quadrant.
Reverse characteristics of a Diode.
Cut in voltage (Knee voltage):

• The voltage at which the forward diode current


starts increasing rapidly is known as the cut in
voltage of a diode. The cut in voltage is very close
to the barrier potential. Cut in voltage is also called
as knee voltage.

• Generally a diode is forward biased above the cut


in voltage. The cut in voltage for a silicon diode is
0.6 V and that for a germanium diode is 0.2V.
•Current flowing through a diode in the reverse biased state is the reverse
saturation current which flows due to the minority carriers.
•Therefore it is treated as a negative current. Hence the reverse
characterisitcs appears equal to Io if the temperature is constant.
• As the reverse voltage is increased, the reverse saturation current remains
constant equal to 10 if the temperature is constant. This is because, reverse
saturation current does not depend on reverse voltage but it depends only on
temperature.
• But as the reverse voltage reaches the breakdown voltage value. a large
current flows through the diode, due to the reasons discussed earlier.
• Thus we define the reverse breakdown voltage of a pn junction diode as the
reverse voltage at which breakdown takes place and a large reverse current
starts flowing through the diode.
• Operation in the breakdown region should be avoided because the diode may
be damaged due to excessive power dissipation.
•Typically the reverse breakdown voltage for p-n junction diode is in range of
50 to 100 volts.

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