Switching Characteristics of Diode

And Transistor
Course code : EE 2113
Digital Electronics

Presented By
Amit Kumer Podder
Assistant Professor
Department of Electrical and Electronic
Engineering
Khulna University of Engineering & Technology
Khulna-9203
1
 Switching Circuit

What is Switching Circuit?

A circuit which can turn ON or OFF current in an electrical circuit is known as
a switching circuit.

A switching circuit essentially consists of two parts viz.

(i)a switch and
(ii)associated circuitry.
What is Switch?
A switch is a device that can turn ON or OFF current in an electrical circuit. It is
the most important part of a switching circuit.

The switches can be broadly classified into the following three types
(i) Mechanical switch
(ii) Electro-mechanical switch or Relay
(iii) Electronic switch

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 Switch

Mechanical Switch
A switch which is operated mechanically to turn ON or OFF current in
an electrical circuit is known as a mechanical switch.
The familiar example of a mechanical switch is the
tumbler switch used in homes to turn ON or OFF
power supply to various appliances such as fans,
heaters, bulbs etc.

Limitation
i. In the closed position, the switch carries the whole of the load current. For a large
load current, the switch contacts have to be made heavy to enable them to carry
the necessary current without overheating. This increases the size of the switch.

ii. If the load current carried by the circuit is large, there will be sparking at the
contacts of the switch during breaking operation. This results in the wear and tear
of the contacts.

iii. Due to high inertia of a mechanical switch, the speed of operation is very small
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 Switch

Electro-mechanical Switch or Relay

It is a mechanical switch which is operated electrically to turn ON or OFF current in an
electrical circuit.

When the switch S is closed, the lever is pulled

downward and the armature A closes the relay
contacts 1 and 2.

This turns ON current in the circuit.

When switch S is opened, the solenoid is de-energised

and the spring pulls the lever and hence the armature
A upwards.

Consequently, the relay contacts 1 and 2 are opened

and current flow in the circuit is interrupted.

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 Electro-mechanical Switch or Relay

Advantages
(i) The relay or electro-mechanical switch requires a small power for its operation.

(ii) The switch in the relay coil carries a small current as compared to the load current. This
permits the use of a smaller switch in the relay coil circuit.

(iii)The operator can turn ON or OFF power to a load even from a distance. This is a very
important advantage when high voltages are to be handled.

(iv) There is no danger of sparking as the turning ON or OFF is carried by the relay coil switch
which carries a small current.

Limitations
 The speed of operation is very small; less than 5 operations per second.

 A relay has moving parts and hence there is considerable wear and tear.

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 Electronic Switch

It is a device which can turn ON or OFF current in an electrical

circuit with the help of electronic devices e.g., transistors or tubes.

Electronic switches have become very popular because of

their high speed of operation and absence of sparking.

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 Electronic Switch

Advantages

(i) It has no moving parts and hence there is little wear and tear. Therefore, it
gives noiseless operation.

(ii) It has smaller size and weight.

(iii)It gives trouble free service because of solid state.

(iv) It is cheaper than other switches and requires little maintenance.

(v) It has a very fast speed of operation say up to 𝟏𝟎𝟗 operations per second.
On the other hand, the mechanical switches have a small speed of operation
e. g. less than 5 operations in a second.

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 Study Area

We will learn mainly how

Diode and Transistor
acts as an switch

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 Diode as a Switching Device

 Whenever a specified voltage is exceeded, the diode resistance gets

increased, making the diode reverse biased and it acts as an open switch.

 Whenever the voltage applied is below the reference voltage, the diode
resistance gets decreased, making the diode forward biased, and it acts as a
closed switch.

The following circuit explains the diode acting as a switch.

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 Diode as a Switching Device

P-type N-type
Material Material
Anode cathode

P-type N-type

𝑛𝑛𝑜 The majority carriers in P-type (holes) = 𝑝𝑝𝑜

𝑝𝑝𝑜
The majority carriers in N-type (electrons) = 𝑛𝑛𝑜

The minority carriers in P-type (electrons) = 𝑛𝑝𝑜

𝑛𝑝𝑜
𝑝𝑛𝑜 The minority carriers in N-type (holes) = 𝑝𝑛𝑜

𝑥=0
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 Diode as a Switching Device

P-type N-type During Forward biased Condition − The

Material Material minority carriers are more near junction and
less far away from the junction.

P-type N-type

𝑛𝑛𝑜
𝑝𝑝𝑜

𝑛𝑝𝑜
𝑝𝑛𝑜

𝑥=0
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 Diode as a Switching Device

P-type N-type During reverse bias condition − Majority

Material Material carriers doesn’t conduct the current through
the junction and hence don’t participate in
current condition.

The minority carriers will cross the junction

and conduct the current, which is called
P-type N-type
as Reverse Saturation Current.
𝑛𝑛𝑜
𝑝𝑝𝑜

𝑛𝑝𝑜
𝑝𝑛𝑜

𝑥=0
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 Diode as a Switching Device

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 Diode as a Switching Device

 Storage time − The time period for which the diode remains in the
conduction state even in the reverse biased state, is called as Storage
time.

 Transition time − The time elapsed in returning back to the state of

non-conduction, i.e. steady state reverse bias, is called Transition
time.

 Reverse recovery time − The time required for the diode to change
from forward bias to reverse bias is called as Reverse recovery time.

 Forward recovery time − The time required for the diode to change
from reverse bias to forward bias is called as Forward recovery time.

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 Transistor as a Switching Device

OFF Condition
When the base input voltage is enough negative, the transistor
is cut off and no current flows in collector load.
As a result, there is no voltage drop across RC and the output
voltage is *ideally. i.e.,
𝐼𝑐 = 0 and 𝑉𝑐𝐸 = 𝑉𝑐𝑐

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 Transistor as a Switching Device

ON Condition
When the input base voltage is positive enough that transistor
saturates, then 𝐼𝑐(𝑠𝑎𝑡) will flow through 𝑅𝑐 .
Under such conditions, the entire 𝑉𝑐𝑐 will drop across collector
load 𝑅𝑐 and output voltage is ideally zero i.e.,
𝑉
𝐼𝑐 = 𝐼𝑐(𝑠𝑎𝑡) = 𝑐𝑐 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0
𝑅𝑐

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 Thank
You
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