Diodes

A Diode is an electronic device that allows current to

flow in one direction only. It is a semiconductor that
consists of a p-n junction. They are used most
commonly to convert AC to DC, because they pass the
positive part of the wave, and block the negative part
of the AC signal, or, if they are reversed, they pass
only the negative part and not the positive part.
Both p-type and n-type silicon will conduct electricity
just like any conductor; however, if a piece of silicon is
doped p-type in one section and n-type in an adjacent
section, current will flow in only one direction across
the junction between the two regions. This device is
called a diode and is one of the most basic
semiconductor devices.

Forward bias
In forward bias, the p-type is connected with the positive
terminal and the n-type is connected with the negative
terminal.
PN junction operation in forward-bias mode, showing reducing
depletion width. Both p and n junctions are doped at a
1e15/cm3 doping level, leading to built-in potential of ~0.59 V.
Reducing depletion width can be inferred from the shrinking
charge profile, as fewer dopants are exposed with increasing
forward bias.With a battery connected this way, the holes in
the p-type region and the electrons in the n-type region are
pushed toward the junction. This reduces the width of
the depletion zone. The positive potential applied to the ptype material repels the holes, while the negative potential
applied to the n-type material repels the electrons. As
electrons and holes are pushed toward the junction, the
distance between them decreases. This lowers the barrier
in potential. With increasing forward-bias voltage, the
depletion zone eventually becomes thin enough that the zone's
electric field cannot counteract charge carrier motion across
the pn junction, as a consequence reducing electrical
resistance. The electrons that cross the pn junction into the
p-type material (or holes that cross into the n-type material)

will diffuse in the near-neutral region. Therefore, the amount

of minority (electron is minority carrier in p-type material)
diffusion in the near-neutral zones determines the amount of
current that may flow through the diode.
Only majority carriers (electrons in n-type material or holes in
p-type) can flow through a semiconductor for a macroscopic
length. With this in mind, consider the flow of electrons
across the junction. The forward bias causes a force on the
electrons pushing them from the N side toward the P side.
With forward bias, the depletion region is narrow enough that
electrons can cross the junction and inject into the p-type
material. However, they do not continue to flow through the
p-type material indefinitely, because it is energetically
favorable for them to recombine with holes.

Characteristic of forward bias

Reverse bias
Connecting the p-type region to the negative terminal of the
battery and the n-type region to the positive terminal
corresponds to reverse bias. If a diode is reverse-biased, the
voltage at the cathode is comparatively higher than the anode.
Therefore, no current will flow until the diode breaks down.
Because the p-type material is now connected to the negative
terminal of the power supply, the 'holes' in the p-type
material are pulled away from the junction, causing the width
of the depletion zone to increase. Likewise, because the ntype region is connected to the positive terminal, the
electrons will also be pulled away from the junction.
Therefore, the depletion region widens, and does so
increasingly with increasing reverse-bias voltage. This
increases the voltage barrier causing a high resistance to the
flow of charge carriers, thus allowing minimal electric current
to cross the pn junction. The increase in resistance of the p
n junction results in the junction behaving as an insulator.

Characteristic of reverse
bias

What is a
Switching Diode?
Switching diodes are a single p-n diode in a discrete package.
A switching diode provides the same functionality as a switch.
It has high resistance below the specified applied voltage
similar to an open switch, whereas above that voltage it
changes in a sudden way to the low resistance of a closed
switch. Switching diodes are used in devices such as ring
modulation.

Diode action and

switching

A diode is made up of a P-Type and an N-Type semiconductor.

P-Type has "missing" electrons (in a sense); N-Type has extra
electrons (in a sense). This means that if you have current
going through the two semiconductors from N-type into Ptype, it should be easier than normal to apply the current

because there is a potential difference between the N-type

and P-type because of their relative "positivity" and
"negativity". ...but if you reverse the voltage, then you are
going against this potential difference and hence the voltage
is impeded, resulting in a 0 current (in theory). This will only
happen until the reverse voltage exceeds a threshold ampage,
at which point the current will shoot up (in reverse).

A diode (ideal) does not have resistance . So when it is

Forward biased(FB) ie the positive terminal of the voltage is
connected to the P junction(anode) of the diode and the
negative of the supply is connected to the N junction(cathode)
, the diode acts as a closed switch
When the diode is reverse biased (RB) ie the supply polarity is
interchanged the diode acts as an open switch.
( note that this is for an IDEAL diode) Practically a small
current flows through the junction when the diode is in
Reverse bias.

Bibliography

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

www.icbse.com
www.sciencebuddies.com
www.ask.com
www.wikipedia.com
Ncert physics text book
www.futureelectronics.com
www.wikihow.com
www.circuitstoday.com