1.

0 Semiconductor Diode

1.1 INTRODUCTION TO SEMICONDUCTORS MATERIALS

1.2 INTRODUCTION TO DIODE
1.3 INTRODUCTION TO ZENER DIODE AND LED
 Throw your idea

Give an application of diode

Simple application of Diode
 Light Emitting Diode
 Where can we find LED in electronic application ?

How its work ?

 Early Diodes

 Thermionic diodes are thermionic valve devices (also known as vacuum tubes)
 Electrodes surrounded by a vacuum within a glass envelope, similar in
appearance to incandescent light bulbs.
 Semiconductor Diodes

 Most modern diodes are based on semiconductor p-n junctions

 In a p-n diode, conventional current can flow from the p-type side (the
anode) to the n-type side (the cathode), but cannot flow in the opposite
direction.

Diode symbol
 Semiconductor Materials

What is semiconductor ?
The different between conductor and isolator
A material that is neither a good conductor of
electricity (like copper) nor a good insulator (like
rubber)
The most common semiconductor materials are
silicon and germanium. These materials are then
doped to create an excess or lack of electrons
 Semiconductor Materials

Semiconductor means the elements having a

conductivity between a conductor and an insulator
Commonly used:
 Germanium (Ge) Single-crystal
 Silicon (Si)
 Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) Compound
 Atomic Structure

 Every atom is composed of 3 basic particles: electron, proton & neutron

 The outermost orbit are called valence electrons
 Semiconductor have only 3 – 5 valence electrons

Carbon Silicon Germanium

 Atomic Structure

 Covalent bonding is the

bonding of atoms,
strengthened by the sharing
of electrons
 Ex: covalent bonding of
silicon atoms
 Energy Levels
 There are specific energy levels  To become a conductor, electron
associated with each orbiting from valence band must absorb
electron energy to across the energy gap
and into the conduction band

 The energy levels are different for every element

 Extrinsic Materials

 n-type materials
 Extra electrons in the
covalent bond gets from n-
type materials such as
antimony, arsenic and
phosphorus
 Extrinsic Materials
 p-type materials
 Extra holes in the covalent
bond gets from p-type
materials such as boron,
gallium and indium
 Semiconductor Diodes

By simply joining the n-type and p-type material

together, a semiconductor diode was born

depletion
region
 Semiconductor Diodes

 Connect the diode to a source:

This is called REVERSE BIAS

 Based on your basic knowledge in physic, explain what will

happen to the electron in the diode
 Give me your answer
 Semiconductor Diodes

The electrons in n-type material will attracts to +ve

terminal of the source
The holes in p-type material will attracts to –ve
terminal of the source
So, the depletion region becomes bigger and
electrons cannot pass, hence no current flows
 Semiconductor Diodes
 Connect the diode to a source:

This is called FORWARD BIAS

 Semiconductor Diodes

 The electrons in n-type material will attracts to

+ve terminal of the source and jump into p-type
material
 The holes in p-type material will attracts to –ve
terminal of the source and jump into n-type
material
 So, the depletion region becomes lesser/gone and
electrons can pass, hence current will flows
 Semiconductor Diodes

From the operation of pn diode, what do you think

the function of diode in electronic application ?

 To conclude, diode can be represented as a switch (but not

ideal)
 For a forward-bias, 0.7V (knee voltage, VD) have to be applied
for the diode (for silicon)
 For germanium, VD = 0.2 ~ 0.3V
 For gallium arsenide, VD = 1.2 ~ 1.4V