EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE

Gov. D. Mangubat Ave., Brgy. Burol Main, City of Dasmariñas, Cavite 4114, Philippines
Tel. Nos. (046) 416-4339/41 www.eac.edu.ph

EXPERIMENT 01

PN JUNCTION

I. OBJECTIVE: To obtain V-I characteristics of PN junction diode

II. INTRODUCTION

The semiconductor diode is formed by doping P-type impurity in one side and
N-type of impurity in another side of the semiconductor crystal forming a p-n
junction as shown in the following figure.

At the junction initially free charge carriers from both side recombine forming
negatively charged ions in P side of junction(an atom in P-side accept electron
and becomes negatively charged ion) and positively charged ion on n side(an
atom in n-side accepts hole i.e. donates electron and becomes positively charged
ion)region. This region deplete of any type of free charge carrier is called as
depletion region. Further recombination of free carrier on both side is prevented
because of the depletion voltage generated due to charge carriers kept at distance
by depletion (acts as a sort of insulation) layer as shown dotted in the above
figure.
Working Principle. When voltage is not applied across the diode, depletion
region forms as shown in the above figure. When the voltage is applied between
the two terminals of the diode (anode and cathode) two possibilities arises
depending on polarity of DC supply.
[1] Forward-Bias Condition: When the +Ve terminal of the battery is
connected to P-type material & -Ve terminal to N-type terminal as shown in the
circuit diagram, the diode is said to be forward biased. The application of
forward bias voltage will force electrons in N-type and holes in P-type material
to recombine with the ions near boundary and to flow crossing junction. This
reduces width of depletion region. This further will result in increase in majority
carriers flow across the junction. If forward bias is further increased in
magnitude the depletion region width will continue to decrease, resulting in
exponential rise in current as shown in ideal diode characteristic curve.
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[2] Reverse-biased: If the negative terminal of battery (DC power supply) is

connected with P-type terminal of diode and +Ve terminal of battery connected
to N type then diode is said to be reverse biased. In this condition the free charge
carriers (i.e. electrons in N-type and holes in P-type) will move away from
junction widening depletion region width. The minority carriers (i.e. –ve
electrons in p-type and +ve holes in n-type) can cross the depletion region
resulting in minority carrier current flow called as reverse saturation current (Is).
As no of minority carrier is very small so the magnitude of Is is few
microamperes. Ideally current in reverse bias is zero.
In short, current flows through diode in forward bias and does not flow through
diode in reverse bias. Diode can pass current only in one direction.

III. PROCEDURE

1. Connect the power supply, voltmeter, current meter with the diode as shown
in the figure for forward bias diode. You can use two multimeter (one to
measure current through diode and other to measure voltage across diode)
2. Increase voltage from the power supply from 0V to 20V in step as shown in
the observation table
3. Measure voltage across diode and current through diode. Note down readings
in the observation table.
4. Reverse DC power supply polarity for reverse bias
5. Repeat the above procedure for the different values of supply voltage for
reverse bias
6. Draw VI characteristics for forward bias and reverse bias in one graph

Circuit diagram (forward bias)

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Circuit diagram (reverse bias)

IV. DATA AND ANALYSIS

Observation Table (Forward Bias)

Supply Voltage Diode Voltage Diode Current

Sr. no.
(Volts) (Vd) (Id)
1 0V 0V 0A

2 0.2V 1.997mV 304.4nA

3 0.4V 382.9mV 17.08μA

4 0.6V 474.1mV 125.9μA

5 0.8V 511.9mV 288.1μA

6 1V 533.8mV 466.2μA

7 2V 584.5mV 1.415mA

8 4V 624.2mV 3.376mA

9 6V 645.3mV 5.355mA

10 8V 659.7mV 7.340mA

11 10V 670.7mV 9.329mA

12 15V 690.3mV 14.31mA

13 20V 704.0 mV 19.3mA

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Gov. D. Mangubat Ave., Brgy. Burol Main, City of Dasmariñas, Cavite 4114, Philippines
Tel. Nos. (046) 416-4339/41 www.eac.edu.ph

Observation Table: (Reverse bias)

Supply Voltage Diode Voltage Diode Current

Sr. no.
(Volts) (Vd) (Id)

1 0V 0V 0A

2 2V 2V 5.872nA

3 5V 5V 8.872nA

4 10V 10V 13.87nA

5 15V 15V 18.87nA

6 20V 20V 23.87nA

7 25V 25V 28.87nA

8 30V 30V 33.87nA

 EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE
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Tel. Nos. (046) 416-4339/41 www.eac.edu.ph

Draw the V-I characteristics of PN junction diode.

V. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the forward and reverse bias of a PN junction

diode are key principles that influence the diode's behavior
under various electrical situations. Observable in the data
given, forward bias enables current to flow freely through
the diode, whereas reverse bias prevents current flow.
Understanding forward and reverse bias characteristics is
critical for designing circuits and determining the suitability
of the PN junction diode for various applications.
 EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE
Gov. D. Mangubat Ave., Brgy. Burol Main, City of Dasmariñas, Cavite 4114, Philippines
Tel. Nos. (046) 416-4339/41 www.eac.edu.ph

VI. QUESTIONS

1. List important specifications of the diode

• Forward Voltage (Vf): The voltage drop across the diode when it
is in the forward-biased condition.

• Reverse Breakdown Voltage (Vr): The maximum voltage that can

be applied in the reverse-biased condition without damaging the
diode.

• Forward Current (If): The maximum current that can be safely

passed through the diode in the forward-biased condition.

• Reverse Current (Ir): The current that flows through the diode in
the reverse-biased condition.

• Capacitance (C): The parasitic capacitance associated with the PN

junction.

• Recovery Time (trr): The time it takes for the diode to recover
from a reverse-biased condition to a forward-biased condition.

• Switching Speed: The speed at which the diode can switch

between forward-biased and reverse-biased conditions.

• Junction Temperature (Tj): The maximum temperature at which

2. What
theisdiode
breakdown voltage?
can operate What is the breakdown voltage of diode 1N4001
safely.
and 1N4007?

Breakdown voltage is the voltage level at which a diode begins to conduct in the
reverse-biased state, allowing a large amount of current to flow. This can
damage the diode, so it is critical to select a diode with a breakdown voltage
greater than the voltage it will be exposed to in the circuit.

The breakdown voltage of the 1N4001 diode is typically 50V, whereas the
breakdown voltage of the 1N4007 diode is 700V.
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3. What is the highest forward current in the diode 1N4007 and 1N5002?

The maximum forward current of the 1N4007 diode is typically 1A (ampere),

whereas the maximum forward current of the 1N5002 diode is typically 2A.

4. List different types of the diode

• Standard Silicon Diode (1N400x): A common type of diode used in

general-purpose applications.

• Schottky Diode: A type of diode with a low forward voltage drop,

making it suitable for high-frequency applications.

• Zener Diode: A type of diode that can be operated in the reverse-biased

condition to provide a stable voltage reference.

• Light Emitting Diode (LED): A type of diode that emits light when
forward-biased.

• Laser Diode: A type of diode that produces coherent light and is used
in applications such as optical communication and data storage.

• Varactor Diode: A type of diode that has a variable capacitance, making

it useful in tuning circuits.

• Tunnel Diode: A type of diode that exhibits negative resistance, making

it useful in high-frequency applications.

• Photodiode: A type of diode that is sensitive to light and is used in

applications such as optical communication and image sensors.

• Gunn Diode: A type of diode that can generate high-frequency

oscillations, making it useful in microwave applications.

• PIN Diode: A type of diode that has a large intrinsic region, making it
useful in high-frequency applications.
 EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE
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Tel. Nos. (046) 416-4339/41 www.eac.edu.ph

5. List applications of the diode?

• Rectification: Used to convert alternating current (AC) to direct

current (DC) in power supplies.

• Voltage Regulation: Used as a voltage reference in power

supplies and voltage regulators.

• Clipping and Clamping: Used to limit the magnitude of an input

voltage to a certain level.

• Switching: Used as a switch to control the flow of current in a

circuit.

• Signal Processing: Used in signal processing circuits to shape

and filter signals.

• Power Conversion: Used in power converters to convert one

form of energy into another, such as converting solar energy into
electrical energy.

• Lighting: Used in lighting applications, such as LED lights.

• Electron Beam Generation: Used in cathode ray tubes to

generate an electron beam.

• Solar Cell: Used in solar cells to convert light into electrical

energy.

• Oscillators: Used in oscillator circuits to generate a stable

frequency.

6. How to check diode with help of multimeter?

First, set the multimeter to diode test mode, then turn off the multimeter and
disconnect the leads from any circuits. Connect the positive lead to the anode, and
the negative to cathode. Turn on the multimeter.

7. What is the reason for reverse saturation current?

The current that flows through the diode when it is reverse-biased is known as
reverse saturation current. It is caused by minority charge carriers (electron and
hole) passing through the depletion region and recombining on the other side.
 EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE
Gov. D. Mangubat Ave., Brgy. Burol Main, City of Dasmariñas, Cavite 4114, Philippines
Tel. Nos. (046) 416-4339/41 www.eac.edu.ph

8. What is the forward voltage drop of silicon diode and germanium diode?
The forward voltage drop of a silicon diode is typically in the range of 0.6 to 0.7
volts, whereas the forward voltage drop of a germanium diode is typically in the
range of 0.2 to 0.3 volts.

9. Draw ideal characteristics of diode.