D IODE Dr.

Basit Memon
IECE – Fall 2022
 DIODE
A diode is a two-terminal semiconductor device that acts as a one-way
gate to electric current flow.

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SEMICONDUCTORS
The building blocks of today’s electronics.

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CONDUCTIVITY OF SEMICONDUCTORS

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SEMICONDUCTORS ARE MADE OF SILICON.
▪ Silicon in its pure form doesn’t contain
any free charge carriers.
▪ It is of no use.
▪ A semiconductor designer is looking for
material that can alter its conductive
state based on external influence.

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N-TYPE SILICON IS MADE BY DOPING WITH
PHOSPHORUS.
▪ Phosphorous has five valence electrons.

▪ Four of them will form covalent bonds

with neighboring valence electrons of Si.
▪ One is loosely floating about the atoms.
▪ If voltage is applied, this electron will
move towards positive terminal of
battery.

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P-TYPE SILICON IS MADE BY DOPING WITH
BORON.
▪ Boron has three valence electrons.

▪ All 3 of them will form covalent bonds

with neighboring valence electrons of Si.
▪ One vacant spot, called hole.
▪ If voltage is applied, this hole will shift
towards negative terminal of battery.

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THE P-N JUNCTION

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FORWARD BIASING (OPEN DOOR)

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REVERSE BIASING (CLOSED DOOR)

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 THRESHOLD VOLTAGE
One-way gate doesn’t work all time. Threshold voltage needed to open the gate.

© Basit Memon, Habib University EE-101: INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING 11
 LIMITS
1. Excessive forward current leads to cracking or meltdown.

2. Too much reverse voltage causes diode to conduct in wrong direction;

Sudden current surge could lead to destruction of diode.

© Basit Memon, Habib University EE-101: INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING 12
 PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
1. Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV)
2. Maximum forward current
3. Maximum reverse current
4. Maximum forward voltage
5. Response speed

© Basit Memon, Habib University EE-101: INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING 13
 KINDS OF DIODES
1. Power or Rectifier
2. Signal
3. Switching
4. Fast recovery
5. High speed
6. Zener
7. Tunnel
8. LED
9. Photo diode
10. Varactor
11. Schottky

© Basit Memon, Habib University EE-101: INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING 14
 ZENER DIODE – A TWO-WAY GATE

© Basit Memon, Habib University EE-101: INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING 15
 APPLICATIONS

© Basit Memon, Habib University EE-101: INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING 16