LIRAY, JEANITHA ROSE A.

JUNE 15, 2021

BET – COET – C – 1A – C

SPECIAL DIODES

Special
Symbol Actual picture Description Application/Usage
diode
It is a small Small Signal Diodes are
device with used in general purpose
disproportio diode applications, high
nal speed switching,
characteristi parametric amplifiers
cs whose and many other
applications applications.
are mainly
involved at
high
frequency
and very low
current
applications
such as
Small radios and
Signal televisions
Diode etc. To
protect the
diode from
contaminatio
n it is
enveloped
with a glass
so it is also
named as
Glass
Passivated
Diode. One of
the popular
diodes of
this type is
the 1N4148.
 These diodes The main applications of
have large these diodes are in
PN junction Power Supplies
layer. Thus, (rectifiers, converter,
they are inverters, battery
usually used charging devices, etc.).
in In these diodes, the
rectification value of forward
i.e., resistance is few Ohms
converting and the value of reverse
AC to DC. blocking resistance is in
The large PN Mega Ohms.
Junction also Since it has high current
Large increases the and voltage
Signal forward performance, these can
Diode current be used in electrical
carrying devices which are used
capacity and to suppress high peak
reverse voltages.
blocking
voltage of
the diode.
The large
signal diodes
are not
suitable for
high
frequency
applications.
It is a Zener
passive diodes are used for
element voltage regulation, as
which works reference elements,
under the surge suppressors, and
principle of in switching applications
‘Zener and clipper circuits. The
Breakdown’. load voltage equals
First breakdown voltage VZ of
produced by the diode.
Zener
Clarence
Diode
Zener in
1934, it is
similar to
normal
diode in
forward bias
condition i.e.,
it allows
current to
flow.
 But in
reverse bias
condition,
the diode
conducts
only when
the applied
voltage
reaches the
breakdown
voltage,
known as
Zener
Breakdown.
It is designed
to prevent
the other
semiconduct
or devices
from
momentary
voltage
pulses. It
acts as
voltage
regulator.

A light- In the early days, LEDs

emitting are very costly and used
diode (LED) only in special
is a application. But over the
semiconduct years, the cost of the
or device LEDs has come down
that significantly. This and
emits light w the fact they are
hen an extremely power
electric efficient, makes LEDs as
Light current is pa the main source of
Emitting ssed through lighting in homes,
Diode it. Light offices, streets (for
is produced street lighting as well as
when the traffic lights),
particles that automobiles, mobile
carry the phones.
current
(known as
electrons
and holes)
combine
together
 within the
semiconduct
or material.

It is also The use of constant-

known as current diodes in
Current- designing the power
Regulating supply for
Diode or semiconductor laser is
Current- described in this paper.
Limiting According to
Diode or semiconductor laser
Diode- light source model and
Connected characteristics of the
Transistor. constant-current diodes
The function that IH does not change
of the diode with the input voltage VI
is to regulate in the region of constant
the voltage current, the designed
at a constant-current driving
particular circuit is an open-loop
Constant current. structure which reduces
Current It functions the pulse fluctuations of
Diode as a two conventional closed-loop
terminal feedback current source
current and improves the
limiter. In response speed.
this, JFET Through 13 MHz pulse
acts as test, it is proved that the
current use of constant-current
limiter to diode to design the
achieve high semiconductor laser
output constant power supply is
impedance. feasible.
The constant
current
diode
symbol is
shown
below.
 In this type Schottky
of diode, the diodes are used for their
junction is low turn-on voltage, fast
formed by recovery time and low-
contacting loss energy at higher
the frequencies. These
semiconduct characteristics
or material make Schottky
with metal. diodes capable of
Due to this, rectifying a current by
the forward facilitating a quick
voltage drop transition from
is decreased conducting to blocking
to a state.
Schottky
minimum.
Diode
The
semiconduct
or material is
N-type
silicon,
which acts as
an anode
and metals
such as
Chromium,
Platinum,
Tungsten
etc. acts as
cathode.
It was one of Shockley
the first diodes are used mainly
semiconduct for switching
or devices to applications. The two
be invented. main important
Shockley applications of Shockley
Diode has diode as relaxation
four layers. oscillator and trigger
It is also switch.
called as
Shockley
PNPN diode.
Diode
It is equal to
a thyristor
without a
gate
terminal,
which means
the gate
terminal is
disconnected
. As there is
 no trigger
input, the
only way the
diode can
conduct is by
providing
forward
voltage. It
stays ON
once it
turned “ON”
and stays
OFF once it
turned
“OFF”. The
diode has
two
operating
states
conducting
and non-
conducting.
In non-
conducting
state the
diode
conducts
with less
voltage.

It is also The applications of these

called as diodes are in higher
snap-off order multipliers and in
diode or pulse shaper circuits.
charge- The cut-off frequency of
storage these diodes is very high
diode. These which are nearly at Giga
are the hertz order.
special type As multiplier, this diode
Step
of diodes has the cut-off frequency
Recovery
which stores range of 200 to 300 GHz.
Diode
the charge In the operations which
from are performing at 10
positive GHz range, these diodes
pulse and play a vital role. The
uses in the efficiency is high for
negative lower order multipliers.
pulse of the
sinusoidal
signals. The
 rise time of
the current
pulse is
equal to the
snap time.
Due to this
phenomenon
, it has speed
recovery
pulses.
A tunnel It is used as high-speed
diode (also switch, with switching
known as a speed in the order of few
Esaki diode) nano-seconds. Due to
is a type of tunneling effect it has
semiconduct very fast operation in
or diode that microwave frequency
has region. It is a two-
effectively terminal device in which
“negative concentration of dopants
resistance” is too high.
due to the The transient response
quantum is being limited by
mechanical junction capacitance
effect called plus stray wiring
tunneling. capacitance. Mostly used
Tunnel in microwave oscillators
diodes have and amplifiers. It acts as
a heavily most negative
Tunnel doped pn conductance device.
Diode junction that Tunnel diodes can be
is about 10 tuned both mechanically
nm wide. and electrically. The
The heavy symbol of tunnel diode is
doping as shown below.
results in a
broken band
gap, where
conduction
band
electron
states on the
N-side are
more or less
aligned with
valence band
hole states
on the P-
side.
 These are The applications of
also known Varactor Diode mainly
as Varicap involve within the RF
diodes. It design arena, However,
acts like the in this article, we are
variable discussing a couple of
capacitor. applications of Varactor
Operations diodes, to illustrate how
are these diodes can be used
performed in a practical. The
mainly at capacitor in a practical
reverse bias circuit can be changed
Varactor state only. with the Varactor diode,
Diode These diodes but it is necessary to
are very make sure the tuning
famous due voltage that is, the
to its voltage necessary to set
capability of the diode capacitance.
changing the And to ensure that this
capacitance diode is not influenced
ranges by the bias voltage in the
within the circuit. By using voltage
circuit in the control technique in the
presence of diode circuit, changing
constant capacitance can be
voltage flow. offered.
A Laser Laser Diode Modules are
Diode is a ideal for applications
semiconduct such as life science,
or device industrial, or scientific
similar to a instrumentation. Laser
light- Diode Modules are
emitting available in a wide
diode (LED). variety of wavelengths,
It uses p-n output powers, or beam
junction to shapes.
emit Low power Lasers are
Laser coherent used in an increasing
Diode light in number of familiar
which all the applications including
waves are at CD and DVD players and
the same recorders, bar code
frequency readers, security
and phase. systems, optical
This communications and
coherent surgical instruments
light is Industrial
produced by applications: Engraving,
the laser cutting, scribing, drilling,
diode using a welding, etc.
process Medical applications
termed as remove unwanted
“Light tissues, diagnostics of
Amplificatio cancer cells using
n by fluorescence, dental
Stimulated medication. In general,
Emission of the results using lasers
Radiation”, are better than the
which is results using a surgical
abbreviated knife.
as LASER. Laser Diodes used for
And since a Telecom: In the telecom
p-n junction field 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm
is used to band laser diodes used
produce as the main light source
laser light, for silica fibre lasers
this device is have a less transmission
named as a loss in the band. The
laser diode. laser diode with the
Before we different band is used
learn more for pumping source for
about the optical amplification or
working for the short-distance
process of a optical link.
laser diode,
let’s look at
how laser
light is
different
from other
types of
light, and its
advantages.
 Transients These are having
are applications in the
temporary telecommunication
spikes or fields, medical,
surges microprocessors and
in voltage or signal processing. It
current that responds to over
can voltages faster than
potentially Varistors or gas
impact discharge tubes. TVS
circuits in diode is normally used
ways for Diversion/clamping
ranging from in low-energy
minor circuits and systems, and
glitches to for ESD protection in
catastrophic circuits. Applications of
failure. A Transient Voltage
voltage Suppressor Diode can be
transient can found in Data and Signal
be anywhere lines, Microprocessor
from a few and MOS memory,
Transien
millivolts to AC/DC power lines, and
t Voltage
thousands of Telecommunication
Suppress
volts, and Equipment.
ion Diode
they can last
from
nanoseconds
to hundreds
of
milliseconds.
Some
transients
are
repetitive,
such as those
caused by
inductive
ringing in a
motor, while
other
transients
are more
sporadic,
such as ESD
events.
 In these In such type
diodes, Gold of diode, Gold or
is used as a platinum is used as
dopant. the dopant (doping mate
These diodes rial). It enables
are faster the diode to operate at
than other fast switching speed but
diodes. In at the expense of
these diodes, increasing the forward
the leakage voltage drop. Also, its
current in reverse leakage current
reverse bias is higher than a normal
condition is P-N junction diode.
also less.
Even at the
Gold higher
Doped voltage drop
Diode it allows the
diode to
operate in
signal
frequencies.
In these
diodes, Gold
helps for the
faster
recombinati
on of
minority
carriers.

It is a SBR diodes are designed

rectifier for high power, low loss
diode having and fast
low forward switching applications.
voltage drop The presence of a MOS
as Schottky channel within its
diode with structure forms a low
Super surge potential barrier for the
Barrier handling majority carriers, thus
Diode capability SBR's forward bias
and low operation at low voltage
reverse is similar to Schottky
leakage diode.
current as P
– N junction
diode. It was
designed for
 high power,
fast
switching
and low-loss
applications.
Super
barrier
rectifiers are
the next
generation
rectifiers
with low
forward
voltage than
Schottky
diode.
In this type This is mainly used in
of diode, it cooling and heating
generates applications. This type of
heat at the diodes used as sensor
two-material and heat engine for
junction of a thermo electric cooling.
semiconduct
or, which
flows from
one terminal
to another
terminal.
This flow is
done in only
single
direction
Peltier
which is
Diode
same as the
direction of
current flow.
This heat is
produced
due to
electric
charge
produced by
the
recombinati
on of
minority
charge
carriers.
 This is also The crystal diode can be
known as used as a rectifier to
Cat’s convert the AC into DC.
whisker, As it conducts only in
which is a one direction and blocks
type of point the current flow in the
contact reverse direction as
diode. Its similar to the
operation normal diode- it can be
depends on used to design the half
the pressure wave, full wave and
of contact bridge rectifier circuits.
between
semiconduct
or crystal
and the
point.
In this, a
metal wire is
present,
Crystal
which is
Diode
pressed
against the
semiconduct
or crystal. In
this, the
semiconduct
or crystal
acts as
cathode and
metal wire
acts as
anode. These
diodes are
obsolete in
nature.
 An avalanche The Avalanche diode is
diode is a used for the protection
special type of the circuit. When
of reverse bias voltage
semiconduct increases then up to
or device certain limit diode starts
designed to an avalanche effect at a
operate in particular voltage and
reverse diode breakdown due to
breakdown avalanche effect.
region. It is used to protect the
Avalanche circuit against unwanted
Avalanch
diodes are voltages.
e Diode
used as relief It is used in surge
valves (a protectors to protect the
type of valve circuit from surge
used to voltage.
control the
pressure in a
system) to
protect
electrical
systems
from excess
voltages.
Silicon The SCRs are used for
controlled home appliance control
rectifier is a include lighting,
unidirection temperature control, fan
al current speed regulation,
controlling heating, and alarm
device. Just activation. For
like a normal industrial applications, S
p-n junction CRs are used to control
diode, it the motor speed, battery
allows charging and power
Silicon electric conversions.
Controlle current in
d Diode only one
direction
and blocks
electric
current in
another
direction. A
normal p-n
junction
diode is
made of two
semiconduct
 or layers
namely P-
type and N-
type.
However, a
SCR diode is
made of 4
semiconduct
or layers of
alternating P
and N type
materials.
Vacuum Applications of vacuum t
diodes ubes are amplification of
consist of a weak current,
two rectification of an
electrodes alternating current (AC)
which will to direct current (DC),
acts as an generation of oscillating
anode and radio-frequency (RF)
the cathode. power for radio and
Cathode is radar, and creation of
made up of images on a television
Tungsten, screen or computer
which emits monitor.
the electrons
in the
direction of
anode.
Always
Vacuum electron flow
Diode will be from
cathode to
anode only.
So, it acts
like a switch.
If the
cathode is
coated with
oxide
material,
then the
electrons
emission
capability is
high. Anode
is a bit long
in size and in
some cases
their surface
 is rough to
reduce the
temperature
s developing
in the diode.
The diode
will conduct
only in one
case that is
when the
anode is
positive with
respect to
cathode
terminal.

The RF Switches: PIN diode

improved is used for both signal
version of and component
the normal selection. For example,
P-N junction PIN diodes acts as range-
diode gives switch inductors in low
the PIN phase noise oscillators.
diode. In PIN Attenuators: it is used as
diode doping bridge and shunt
is not resistance in bridge-T
necessary. attenuator.
The intrinsic Photo Detectors: it
material i.e., detects x-ray and gamma
the material ray photons.
which has no
charge
Pin carriers, is
Diode inserted
between the
P and N
regions,
which
increase the
area of
depletion
layer.
When we
apply
forward bias
voltage, the
holes and
electrons
will be
pushed into
 the intrinsic
layer. At
some point
due to this
high
injection
level, the
electric field
will conduct
through the
intrinsic
material
also. This
field makes
the carriers
to flow from
two regions.

Point High-Frequency
contact Circuits: Due to small
diode is junction area and low
formed by junction capacitance and
touching a diffused capacitance as
metallic wire discussed above, the
with an N- diode is suitable for
type high-frequency
semiconduct applications (about 10
or to form a GHz).
small area of Radio Frequency
contact. This Mixers: In
form a small communication, Mixers
point play a crucial role in
junction. It is circuitry and the point
Point
widely used contact diode is used
Contact
because such extensively in radio
Device
a small point frequency mixers.
junction Detector Circuits: For
possesses a detecting high-frequency
small value signal these diodes play
of junction a crucial role in circuitry.
capacitance. Video Detector: It also
Thus, the finds application in
charge video detector.
storage at Envelope detector and
the junction detector circuits of radio
is low. Due and television: Point
to this, the contact diodes are also
switching used in envelope and
ability of television detector
circuit because it
 diode is switches rapidly from
much better one state to another
than a state.
conventional These are the
diode. applications of Point
contact diode. Point
contact diode does not
involve two
semiconductor pieces to
form two electrodes but
it uses metallic wire and
a semiconductor
specimen.

Gunn diode Used as Gunn oscillators

is fabricated to generate frequencies
with n-type ranging from 100mW
semiconduct 5GHz to 1W 35GHz
or material outputs. These Gunn
only. The oscillators are used
depletion for radio
region of two communications,
N-type military and commercial
materials is radar sources.
very thin. Used as sensors for
When detecting trespassers, to
voltage avoid derailment of
increases in trains.
the circuit, Used as efficient
the current microwave generators
also with a frequency range
Gunn increases. of up to hundreds of
Diode After certain GHz.
level of Used for remote
voltage, the vibration detectors and
current will rotational speed
exponentiall measuring tachometers.
y decrease, Used as a microwave
thus this current generator
exhibits the (Pulsed Gunn diode
negative generator).
differential Used in microwave
resistance. transmitters to generate
It has two microwave radio waves
electrodes at very low powers.
with Gallium Used as fast controlling
Arsenide and components in
Indium microelectronics such as
Phosphide. for the modulation of
Due to this, it semiconductor injection
has negative lasers.
differential Used as sub-millimeter
resistance. It wave applications by
is also multiplying Gunn
termed as oscillator frequency with
transferred diode frequency.
electron Some other applications
device. It include door opening
produces sensors, process control
micro wave devices, barrier
RF signals so operation, perimeter
it is mainly protection, pedestrian
used in safety systems, linear
Microwave distance indicators, level
RF devices. It sensors, moisture
can also use content measurement
as an and intruder alarms.
amplifier.