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CBSE Physics Grade 12
Semiconductor Diodes

Answer NCERT Solutions CBSE

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Reverse saturation current of a diode:

A.) Is independent of temperature.
B.) Increases with an increase in
temperature.
C.) Decrease with an increase in
temperature.
D.) May increase or decrease with an
increase in temperature depending
on the semiconductor.
Answer Veri!ed

264.6k+ views 1 likes

Hint: We know that the current that "ows in

reverse bias PN junction diode is called reverse
saturation current. From the diode current

⎛ V ⎞
equation I = Is ⎜
⎜e T − 1⎟
ηV
⎟ the current
⎝ ⎠
should decrease as the temperature is
increased but the opposite happens. This is
because when the temperature is increased,
more electron-hole pairs are generated and
due to this the conductivity will increase, and
thus current will also increase. The current

doubles for every 10∘ rise in temperature.

Complete step-by-step answer:

When the PN junction diode is reverse biased

its depletion region width increases. Majority
carriers start "owing away from the junction
and therefore there is no current due to
majority carriers. However, there will be
thermally generated electron-hole pairs, and
these electrons -holes generated near the
junction are known as minority carriers. The
negative voltage near the P side will attract the
holes (majority) and thus repel electrons
(minority). Similarly, the positive voltage will
attract the electrons (majority) away from the
junction and repel the holes (minority).So there
will be a current due to these minority carriers.
Reverse saturation current is usually in terms
of nano ampere to microampere. As this
current is due to minority carriers and the
number of minority carriers remains almost
!xed at a given temperature, therefore, the
current due to these minority carriers also
remains constant and hence, called the reverse

saturation current ICO . This is shown in !gure

1.

We know that the equation for diode current is

given as

⎛ V ⎞
I = Is ⎜
⎜e T − 1⎟
ηV
⎟
⎝ ⎠

As can be seen from the equation the current

should be decreasing as the temperature is
increasing but practically the opposite is
happening. This is because when the
temperature is increased, more electron-hole
pairs are generated and due to this the
conductivity will increase, and thus current will
also increase. When the temperature increases

by 10∘ for both germanium and silicon the

reverse current will approximately get double.

So option B is correct.

Note: In these types of questions we need to be

well versed with the physics behind the
working of PN junction diodes. We need to
know about N-type and P-type semiconductor,
forward bias, Reverse bias, depletion region,
Majority and minority carriers, diode current
equation, reverse saturation current, equation
of conductivity and mobility, etc.

Last updated date: 25th Sep 2023 • Total views: 264.6k • Views to

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