Saint Louis University

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

BASIC ELECTRONICS LABORATORY

ME 2251L

Experiment No: 4
Introduction to Semiconductor Diodes

GROUP REPORT

GROUP NUMBER:3
MEMBERS SIGNATURE
BALUSDAN,DANRHEY B .
CABANSAG,LAMBERT TEDDY
DELA CRUZ,BERMUND
GUITIEREZ,NESTY CLIFFORD
MAGBANUA,DARYL
MARCELINOI,NICOLE ANN
ROY,LETROY CASTER

Date Submitted:
March23,2024

Experiment No. 4
INTRODUCTION TO SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES

ME 2251L: BASIC ELECTRONICS LABORATORY 1

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

TLO 2: Develop skills in testing the semiconductor p-n junction diode using a VOM, and demonstrate its
I-V characteristic curve.

I. INTRODUCTION

Diodes are basic unidirectional semiconductor devices that will only allow current to
flow through them in one direction only, acting more like a one-way electrical valve,
(Forward Biased Condition). Diodes are made from a single piece of Semiconductor
material which has a positive “P-region” at one end and a negative “N-region” at the
other, and which has a resistivity value somewhere between that of a conductor and an
insulator.

II. MATERIALS/ EQUIPMENT NEEDED

DC Power Supply : 0-25V

1 Digital VOM, 1 Analog VOM
1N4007 Silicon PN junction Diode
R1 - 100 Ω
Experiment Board K Connecting
leads

III. PROCEDURES and Corresponding Results

Objective A: Identify the anode and the cathode and test a semiconductor diode by
performing a forward-reversed resistance/voltage check by using a VOM.

1. A. Examine at least four silicon diodes and identify the cathode and anode terminals.
Describe how the cathode of a diode is marked.

 Cathode was marked with K

2. A. Set the digital VOM to the diode test mode.

Record the polarity of the VOM leads
Red lead/probe: Positive
Black lead/probe: Negative

B. Set the VOM to the diode test function. Connect the common lead (negative) of the VOM
to the cathode end of one of the silicon diodes, and the Ohm’s lead (positive) to the anode
end, as shown in figure 1.

VOM

ME 2251L: BASIC ELECTRONICS LABORATORY 2

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

Figure 1

C. Measure the voltage across the diode. . 5 3 5 V

** Insert actual photo of the VOM front panel showing the reading here for the soft copy**

D. What does this data imply? Forward Biased

E. Reverse the VOM connections to the diode, so the common lead is connected to anode,
and the Ohm’s lead to the cathode, as shown in Figure 2

VOM

Figure 2

F. Measure the voltage across the diode. 0V

** Insert actual photo of the VOM front panel showing the reading here for the soft copy**

G. What do the above data and results imply? Reversed Bias

Objective B. Observe how the voltage drop and current through the load resistor is
affected by the supply voltage.

3. A. Connect the circuit shown in Figure 3. Be sure the polarity of the ammeter and the
voltmeter are correct.

A
Source Voltage
0-25vDC VDC
R1 100Ω

Figure 3

ME 2251L: BASIC ELECTRONICS LABORATORY 3

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

B. Gradually increase the source voltage until the measured voltage across R1 is that stated in
Table 1.
C. Record current through R1. Record the current value in mA, up to 3 decimal places, as
shown on the ammeter display.
D. Repeat to obtain all measurements.

Table 1
Reading VR1 (V) IR1 (mA) Reading VR1 IR1
1 0 0 6 2.5 4.87
2 0.5 1.07 7 3 29.5
3 1 2.13 8 3.5 34.9
4 1.5 3.02 9 4 4.6
5 2 3.94 10 4.5 44.7

** Insert actual photos of the VOM front panel showing the readings here for the soft copy**

E. Plot Table 1 data: Current (y-axis) vs Voltage (x-axis

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50% Series2
Series1
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1 2 3 4 5

Objective C. Demonstrate characteristic curve of a semiconductor diode when the diode

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL
is forward-biased, and when it is reverse-biased.

4. A. Connect the circuit shown in Figure 4. Be sure the polarity of the ammeter,
voltmeter, and the diode are correct.

R1 100Ω
Es
0-25V
VDC

ME 2251L: BASIC ELECTRONICS LABORATORY 4

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

Figure 4

B. Gradually increase the source voltage Es until the voltmeter indicates the diode voltage
enlisted on Table 2. Measure the forward bias current through the diode for each diode
voltage.

Table 2
Reading Vdiode(mV) Idiode Reading Vdiode Idiode
1 0 0 9 450 .04
2 50 .01 10 500 .20
3 100 .01 11 550 .37
4 150 .01. 12 600 1.26
5 200 .01 13 650 4
6 250 .01 14 700 11.44
7 300 .01 15 750 37.4
8 400 .02 16 800 137.2

** Insert actual photo of the VOM front panel showing the reading here for the soft copy**

C. At what voltage does the diode start to conduct (the instant when current through it
increases abruptly)? 600-650mV

D. Plot Table 2 data: Current (y-axis) vs Voltage (x-axis)

160

140

120

100

80 Series1
Series2
60

40

20

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

5. A. Using the same circuit shown in Figure 4, reverse the polarity of the semiconductor
diode and the voltmeter across it.
B. Gradually increase the source voltage Es until the voltmeter indicates the diode voltage
enlisted on Table 3. Measure the reverse bias current through the diode for each diode
voltage. Remember to set your ammeter to the microampere range if the current is too small
to be read.
 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

Table 3.
Reading Vdiode(mV) Idiode Reading Vdiode Idiode
1 0 0 9 450 0
2 50 0 10 500 0
3 100 0 11 550 0
4 150 0 12 600 0
5 200 0 13 650 0
6 250 0 14 700 0
7 300 0 15 750 0
8 400 0 16 800 0

ME 2251L: BASIC ELECTRONICS LABORATORY 5

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

** Insert actual photo of the VOM front panel showing the reading here for the soft copy**

C. Plot Table 3.
D. What does the readings in the Idiode column imply?

 The readings implied that there’s no current flowing

ME 2251L: BASIC ELECTRONICS LABORATORY 6