Lab 1: Characteristics of PN and Zener Diodes

ELG2136 - Electronics I
Section A02 (Odd Week, Evening)
Professor Mohamed Hossam Ahmed
Due: February 13th, 2021

Omowa Omolola - 300130234

Introduction 2
Equipment 2
Preparation 2
Experiment A 2
Experiment A 5
Simulation 7
Experiment A 7
Experiment A 10
Conclusion

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INTRODUCTION
A PN junction diode is two-terminal or two-electrode semiconductor device, which allows the
electric current in only one direction while blocks the electric current in opposite or reverse
direction(physics-and-radio-electronics.com).
A Zener diode is a special type of diode designed to reliably allow current to flow "backwards"
when a certain set reverse voltage (wikipedia.com).
The lab is divided into two experiments. The first experiment is based on a p-n junction diode,
and the second Zener diode.
The following are the objectives of this lab according to the lab manual:
To understand the active components that are diodes.
To familiarize yourself with datasheets.
To Check the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of PN and Zener diodes.
To Check the behaviour of PN and Zener diodes in a circuit.
To familiarize yourself with the simulation tools.

EQUIPMENT
Since the lab is done remotely, we used the Multisim software through the VMware software to
construct our circuit. The equipment used in the multisim software to create the circuit are listed
below:
● D - Diode 1N 4003
● E - DC Power
● I - DC ammeter
● V - DC voltmeter
● R - standard 1kΩ resistance
● Rt 1 - resistance 33 Ω 500 mW

PREPARATION
EXPERIMENT A:
1. Based on the manufacturer’s data related to the 1N 4003 diode, extract the parameters of
the diode: ideality factor, saturation current, thermal voltage, and dynamic resistance.
Explain your approach and how you determined these parameters.
Using the equation:
𝐼 = 𝐼𝑠(𝑒𝑥𝑝(𝑉/𝑛(𝑘𝑇/𝑞) − 1)(i)
We can rewrite that:
𝑉/𝑛(𝑘𝑇/𝑞) = 𝑙𝑛(1 + 𝐼/𝐼𝑠)
For I = Is:
𝑉/𝑛(𝑘𝑇/𝑞) = 𝑙𝑛(𝐼/𝐼𝑠)
𝑙𝑛(𝐼) = 𝑉/𝑛(𝑘𝑇/𝑞) + 𝑙𝑛(𝐼𝑠)(ii)

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 Comparing eqn (ii) with equation of a line slope = 1/𝑛(𝑘𝑇/𝑞)
k = 1.38*10-3 J/k
T = 25°C = 298 k
q = 1.60*10-19 C
To find ideality factor (n) (Slope from the graph):
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = (10 − 1)/(1. 3 − 0. 96) = 26. 47059
−23 −19
26. 470589 = 1/𝑛(1. 38 * 10 )(298)/(1. 60 * 10 )
𝑛 = 1. 46980 = 1. 47
To find saturation current (Is):
Taking points on the graph V = 0.96V and I = 1A and putting it in eqn (ii)
−23 −19
𝑙𝑛(1) = 0. 96/(1. 476980) * (1. 38 * 10 )(298)/(1. 60 * 10 ) + 𝑙𝑛(𝐼𝑠) =− 25. 41193
−25.41193 −12 −12
𝐼𝑠 = 𝑒 = 9. 19897 * 10 𝐴 = 9. 2 * 10 𝐴
To find thermal voltage Vt:
We compare eqn (i) and eqn (ii)
−23 −19 −2
𝑉𝑡 = 𝑘𝑇/𝑞 = (1. 38 * 10 )(298)/(1. 60 * 10 ) = 2. 57025 * 10 = 0. 026𝑉
To find dynamic resistance:
Using the formula:
1
𝑟𝑑 = 1/𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = 26.47059
= 0. 03778Ω

2. Draw the I-V curve of the 1N 4003 diode on Excel using the above-determined values.
Name this graph “Excel_1.”

I (mA) 0.1 0.3 0.5 1 3 5 7 9 10

V (V) 0.5118 0.5464 0.5626 0.5845 0.6192 0.6354 0.6460 0.6539 0.6572

I (mA) 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

V (V) 0.6791 0.6929 0.7010 0.7081 0.7138 0.7187 0.7229 0.7267 0.7300

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4
 3. Draw the log-linear curve (log(I) versus V) of the 1N 4003 diode using the
above-determined values on Excel. Name this graph "Excel_2."

EXPERIMENT B:
1. Based on the manufacturer's data on the 1N 4734A diode, extract the parameters of the
Zener diode (VZ0 and rZ). Explain your approach and how you determined these
parameters.
Using the equation:
𝑉𝑧 = 𝑉𝑧𝑜 + 𝑟𝑧𝐼𝑧
To find Vzo and rz:
We got the slope from the graph
Taking points on the table for the nominal value of Z (Vz), IZT the Zener diode
current (Iz) and the Zener impedance at I_ZT (rz)
Vz = 5.6 V
Iz = 45mA = 45 * 10 -3
rz = 5 Ω.
−3
5. 6 = 𝑉𝑧𝑜 + (45 * 10 )(5)
𝑉𝑧𝑜 = 5. 375 𝑉

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 2. Draw the I-V curve of the Zener 1N 4734A diode on Excel using the above-determined
values. Name this graph "Excel_3".
Preparation Results
I (mA) 0.1 0.3 0.5 1 3 5 7 9 10

V (V) 5.3755 5.3765 5.3775 5.382 5.39 5.4 5.41 5.42 5.42

3. Draw on Excel the log-linear curve (log(I) versus V) of the 1N 4734A diode using the
above-determined values. Name this graph "Excel_4".

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SIMULATION
EXPERIMENT A
3. Measure the live static characteristic of the PN diode (current IDC flowing through the
diode based on the VDC voltage at the diode terminals) using the circuit in Figure 2.
-Vary voltage E so that the current I reaches the values given in Table I. Use more values
if necessary in order to have a good graph.
-For each I value, measure the value of the voltage V at the diode terminals and report it
in Table I. Report also the corresponding value of the E voltage.
Table 1 - Experiment 1: Simulation Results
I (mA) 0.1 0.3 0.5 1 3 5 7 9 10

E (V) 0.5275 0.7800 1.004 1.543 3.590 5.057 7.655 9.645 10.654

V (V) 0.4273 0.4794 0.5036 0.5267 0.5887 0.6133 0.6292 0.6410 9.6461

I (mA) 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

E (V) 20.689 30.701 40.720 50.754 60.753 70.745 80.751 90.762 100.77

V (V) 0.6793 0.6999 0.7130 0.7240 0.7331 0.7408 0.7476 0.7536 0.7599

4. For a value indicated by the ammeter of I = 50 mA, save a screenshot of Multisim that
shows the value of the voltage source E and the value indicated by the voltmeter.

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5. Draw I versus V on the same Excel chart ("Excel_1"). Compare the two curves (the one
obtained in the preparation part and the one obtained by simulation). Conclude.

6. Draw log(I) versus V on the same Excel chart ("Excel_2"). Compare the two curves (the
one obtained in the preparation part and the one obtained by simulation). Conclude.

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7. From the log-linear graph obtained above by simulation, evaluate the "n" parameter. Use
two points of the graph and perform algebraic calculations to find the slope of the graph.
Compare with the result found in the preparation part.
To find ideality factor (n):
(We got the slope from the graph)
𝑆𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = (𝑙𝑜𝑔(80) − 𝑙𝑜𝑔(10))/(0. 747552 − 0. 646065) = 8. 898578
−3 −19
8. 898578 = 1/𝑛(1. 38 * 10 )(298)/(1. 60 * 10 )
𝑛 = 4. 37224 = 4. 372
In the preparation part of this experiment, our calculation gave an approximate value of
1.47 for n however, after conducting the algebraic calculations based on two points from
the log-linear graph, the calculations show that the value of n is in fact 4.372. There is a
significant difference (of 2.902) between both values. This indicates that our initial
calculations were incorrect which could be due to the values chosen from the graph. The
values from the log-linear graph are much more specific.

8. From the log-linear graph obtained above by simulation, evaluate the “Is” parameter.
Compare with the result found in the preparation part.
To find saturation current (Is):
Taking points from graph: V = 0.747552 V and I = 0.08 A
−23 −19
𝑙𝑛 (0. 08) = 0. 747552/(4. 37224) * (1. 38 * 10 )(298)/(1. 60 * 10 ) + 𝑙𝑛 (𝐼𝑠)
𝑙𝑛(𝐼𝑠) =− 9. 1778
−9.1778 −14
𝐼𝑠 = 𝑒 = 1. 033 * 10 𝐴
−12
The calculation for Is in the preparation part gave us a value of 9. 2 * 10 𝐴 whereas
−14
the value of Is calculated base off the points in the log-linear graph is 1. 033 * 10 𝐴.
There is, once again, a significant difference between the two values calculated. As
mentioned in question 7, the values of the log-linear graph were much more specific than
the ones used in the preparation part which would therefore mean that the value
calculated during the actual experiment is correct. If we had used values from a log-linear
graph during the preparation part, there is a possibility that there would be less of a
difference between both values.

9. From the log-linear graph obtained above by simulation, evaluate the"rd" parameter.
Compare with the result found in the preparation part.
𝑟𝑑 = 𝑛𝑉𝑡/𝐼𝑑𝑐 =
Since the values of n and Is are different than the ones calculated during the preparation
part, it is expected that the values of rd will also be different as we need n and Is to be
able to obtain rd.

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EXPERIMENT B
I (mA) 0.1 1 10

E (V) 4.723 5.976 105.65

V1 (V) 0.694183 0.608085 0.213556

V2 (V) 0.654356 0.522753 0.0104

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