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Lecture 12

The document discusses diodes, including their structure as a PN junction, forward and reverse biasing, and their voltage-current characteristics curve. Forward bias allows current through the junction, while reverse bias prevents it. The VI curve shows increasing forward current and very small reverse current, until breakdown voltage is reached causing a rapid rise in reverse current.

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9 views

Lecture 12

The document discusses diodes, including their structure as a PN junction, forward and reverse biasing, and their voltage-current characteristics curve. Forward bias allows current through the junction, while reverse bias prevents it. The VI curve shows increasing forward current and very small reverse current, until breakdown voltage is reached causing a rapid rise in reverse current.

Uploaded by

wm572765
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Circuits and Electronics

Lecture 12
Instructor: Sajid Hussain
The Diode
• A Diode is made from a small piece of semiconductor material, in which half
is doped as a p region and half is doped as an n region with a PN junction and
depletion region in between.
• The p region is called the anode and n region is called the cathode.
Forward Bias
• To bias a diode, you apply a dc voltage across it.
• Forward bias is the condition that allows current through the PN junction.
• Positive terminal of bias voltage is connected to anode and negative terminal
is connected to cathode.
• The resistor limits the forward current to a value that will not damage the
diode.
Forward Bias
• As more electrons flow into the depletion region, the number of positive ions
is reduced.
• As more holes effectively flow into the depletion region on the other side of
the pn junction, the number of negative ions is reduced.
• This reduction in positive and negative ions during forward bias causes the
depletion region to narrow
Reverse Bias
• Reverse bias is the condition that essentially prevents current through the
diode.
• Positive terminal of bias voltage is connected to cathode and negative
terminal is connected to anode.
Voltage and Current Characteristics of Diode
• VI Characteristics for Forward Bias
• When a forward-bias voltage is applied across a diode, there is current called
the forward current (IF).
Voltage and Current Characteristics of Diode
• VI Characteristics for Reverse Bias
• When a reverse-bias voltage is applied
across a diode, there is only an extremely
small reverse current (IR) through the PN
junction.
• As we gradually increase the reverse-bias
voltage, there is a very small reverse
current and the voltage across the diode
increases.
• When the applied bias voltage is increased
to a value where the reverse voltage across
the diode (VR) reaches the breakdown value
(VBR), the reverse current begins to increase
rapidly.
Complete VI Characteristics Curve
• Combining the curves for both forward bias and reverse bias, we have the
complete V-I characteristic curve for a diode.
• For a forward-biased diode, as temperature is increased, the forward current
increases for a given value of forward voltage.
Recommended Book
• Electronics Devices by Thomas L. Floyd (Ninth Edition)

Reading Assignment.
• Chapter 2.
• Topic 2-1: Diode Operation
• Topic 2-2: Voltage Current Characteristics of Diode
Thank You.

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