RCPIT, SHIRPUR DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED SCIENCE

Experiment No.2

Objective: Study of characteristics of Silicon diode,

a) To determine forward and reversed characteristics of given semiconductor diode
b) Analyze the knee voltage of given diode and
c) Compare analytical and the practical values.

Theory:
Introduction :
A diode is an electrical device allowing current to move through it in one direction
with greater ease than in the other. The most common type of diode in modern circuit design
is the semiconductor diode, although other diode technologies exist. Semiconductor diodes
are symbolized in schematic diagrams as shown below :

Figure 1
When placed in a simple battery-lamp circuit, the diode will either allow or prevent
current through the lamp, depending on the polarity of the applied voltage:

Figure 2

When the polarity of the battery is such that electrons are allowed to flow through
the diode, the diode is said to be forward-biased. Conversely, when the battery is
"backward" and the diode blocks current, the diode is said to be reverse biased. A diode may
be thought of as a kind of switch: "closed" when forward-biased and "open" when reverse-
biased.

V-I Characteristic :

The static voltage-current characteristic

for a P-N Junction Diode is shown in following
Figure:

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Forward Characteristic:
When the p-n junction diode’s anode is connected to positive of power supply and
cathode connected to negative of power supply then diode is under forward bias.
When the diode is in forward-biased and the applied voltage is increased from zero,
hardly any current flows through the device in the beginning. It is so because the external
voltage is being opposed by the internal barrier voltage VB whose value is 0.7 V for Si and
0.3 V for Ge. As soon as VB is neutralized, current through the diode increases rapidly with
increasing applied supply voltage. It is found that as little a voltage as 1.0 V produces a
forward current of about 50mA.

Reverse Characteristic:
When the p-n junction diode’s cathode is connected to positive of power supply and
anode connected to negative of power supply then diode is under reverse bias.
When the diode is reverse-biased, majority carrier are blocked and only a small
current (due to minority carrier) flows through the diode. As the reverse voltage is increased
from zero, the reverse current very quickly reaches its maximum or saturation value Io
which is also known as leakage current. It is of the order of nanoamperes (nA) and
microamperes (mA) for Ge. When reverse voltage exceeds a certain value called breakdown
voltage VBR, the leakage current suddenly and sharply increases, the curve indicating zero
resistance at this point.

Procedure:

A) To plot Forward Characteristics proceed as follow:-

1. Before switch ‘On’ the supply connect TP1 and TP2 to Voltage positive and
negative terminals respectively.
2. Switch ‘On’ the power supply.
3. Check +12V DC power supply.
4. Now switch ‘Off’ the supply.
5. Rotate potentiometer P1 fully in CCW (counter clockwise direction).
6. Connect Current positive terminal to test point TP4 and Current negative terminal to
test point TP10, to measure diode current ID (mA).
7. Connect Voltage positive terminal to test point TP3 and Voltage negative terminal to
TP11, to measure diode voltage VD.
8. Switch ‘On’ the power supply.
9. Vary the potentiometer P1 so as to increase the value of diode voltage VD from 0 to
1V (0.83V) in step and measure the corresponding values of diode current ID in an
Observation Table 1.
10. Plot a curve between diode voltage VD and diode current ID as shown in figure
(First quadrant) using suitable scale, with the help of Observation Table 1. This
curve is the required forward characteristics of Si diode.
11. Switch ‘Off’ the supply.

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Diode Characteristics Trainer: (FOR FORWARD BIAS)

Figure
B) To plot Reverse Characteristics of a Si diode proceed as follows:-

1. Disconnect previous connections.

2. Rotate potentiometer P1 fully in CCW (counter clockwise direction).
3. Connect Current positive terminal to test point TP5 and Current negative terminal to
test point TP10 to measure diode current ID (mA).
4. Connect Voltage positive terminal to test point TP3 and Voltage negative terminal to
TP11 to measure diode voltage VD.
5. Switch ‘On’ the power supply.
6. Vary the potentiometer P1 so as to increase the value of diode voltage VD from zero
to 10V in step and measure the corresponding values of diode current ID in an
Observation Table 2.
7. Plot a curve between diode voltage VD and diode current ID as shown in figure 3
(third quadrant) using suitable scale with the help of Observation Table 2. This curve
is the required reverse characteristics of Si diode.
8. Switch ‘Off’ the supply.

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Diode Characteristics Trainer: (FOR REVERSE BIAS)

Figure

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Observation Table -1: (FOR FORWARD BIAS)

S. no. Diode Voltage (V) Diode current (ID) (mA)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Observation Table -2: (FOR REVERSE BIAS)

S. no. Diode Voltage (V) Diode current (ID) (nA)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

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