Exercise 14 Diode Characteristics

Introduction
Diode is a semiconductor PN junction with metal terminals. The terminal of P region is called the anode A, and the terminal of N region is the cathode K. The symbol for diode shows the direction of current through the diode: from P to N region, or from the anode to cathode (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Figure 2

If we connect the power sources to the PN junction so that "+" pole is connected to the Ptype, and "-" to the N-type semiconductor, the width of the depletion layer decreases, and current flows through the PN junction. This is a direct (positive) polarization or forward bias (Figure 2a). If the PN junction is connected to the power source so that "+" pole of the power source is on the cathode, and "-" on the anode (Figure 2b), the external electric field will have the same direction as the field E in the depletion zone and it will lead to its widening. Consequently, the resistance of PN junction becomes very large and the current through it is negligible. This is a reverse (negative) polarization or reverse bias. Silicon diode The current-voltage characteristic of a silicon diode is a dependence of the current I through diode and the voltage U at the diode and its shown on Figure 3.

Figure 3

Figure 4

Recording characteristic of diode in forward bias can be performed by the circuit from Figure 4. The resistor R limits the current in the circuit and protects the circuit elements from burning out. This silicon diode has a conduction threshold UD of around 0.6V: voltages below that value produce almost no current flow. The current through diode in reverse bias (U<0) is negligible (Figure 3).
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LED A special type of a semiconductor diode is LED (Light Emitting Diode) that emits light when conducting current. The conduction threshold of LED is higher than that of ordinary diode. In reverse polarization, LED does not emits light and behaves like an ordinary diode. The symbol of this diode is shown on Figure 5.

Figure 5

Zener diode Diode that conducts electricity in the region of a reverse breakdown voltage is called Zener or stabilization diodes. In addition to threshold voltage UD these diodes are also characterized by the breakdown voltage Uz. Voltage on the diode after the breakdown practically does not change regardless of the increase of current through the diode, and thus, the Zener diodes are used in voltage stabilizers. Symbols and current-voltage characteristic of a Zener diodes are shown in Figures 6 and 7, respectively.

Figure 6

Figure 7

Tasks
1. Record current-voltage characteristic of a silicon diode, I(U). 2. Determine the voltage of conduction threshold UD. 3. Record current-voltage characteristic of LED, I(U). 4. Determine the light threshold voltage of LED, i.e. the voltage for which that LED begins to emit light. 5. Determine the maximum power received by the LED during measurement. This power is equal to the product of the maximum voltage reached during the measurement and the corresponding current. 6. Record current-voltage characteristic of a Zener diode, I(U). 7. Determine the voltage of conduction threshold and the breakdown voltage of this diode.

Equipment
The equipment required for this exercise includes:
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1. Basic system board Skolice and USB cable 2. Resistor (200) 3. Diode, LED and Zener diode 4. 2 short-circuit elements 5. 3 red and 2 black cables

Instructions
Connect base system with computer by USB cable. Connect electrical circuit as illustrated in Figure 8:

Figure 8

Place resistor (200), diode and upper short-circuit element. Define the measuring instruments. Place the switch for the channel AI0 on V (the channel is now a voltmeter that measures voltage at the diode). Set the switch for AI1 to mA (the channel is now a milliampermeter that measures current through the diode).

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Use cables to connect instruments with the measurement points. Connect AI0 voltmeter in parallel with diode and connect AI1 milliampermeter in series with diode. Connect the DC voltage source AO 0 whose output can range from 0V to 4V (UE from Figure 4 corresponds to the voltage between analog output AO 0 and the system ground GND). Using short-circuit element complete the circuit by connecting it to the ground (GND).

This circuit pattern corresponds to circuit on Figure 4. By starting the corresponding virtual instrument, the measuring can start. Figure 9 shows the layout of the virtual instrument used for recording the characteristic of the diode.

Figure 9

Start measurement by turning the switch on the power source on (note that the green light next to it turns on). There are two ways to change voltage of the power source (U): by rotating the button with a blue dial or by pressing up-down keys on the instrument (the voltage changes in steps of 0.01V). U value can be read from the scale of the instrument and from its digital display. The values of the current I through the diode and the voltage U at the ends of the diode, should be read from the virtual instruments (ampermeter and voltmeter). By pressing the Save values button, measured values are entered into the table and displayed on the graph I(U). Increase the source voltage from 0V to 4V in a sufficient number of steps and enter corresponding values into the table.
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The layout of the screen with entered measurements should correspond to that in Figure 10.

Figure 10

To clear the entered measurement results press the Delete measurement button, and a conformation question will appear: Are you sure that you want to delete saved values for the selected diode? To confirm press Yes and all previously measured data for the selected diode will be deleted. If the selection is No, then the deletion operation will be cancelled (and the data preserved). Coordinates of the points on the graph can become visible by placing the cursor at the desired point. The cursor appears by pressing the Show cursor button, upon which the button label is changed to Hide cursor. If pressed again, the cursor will disappear. The cursor is moved by dragging the mouse. Values entered during measurements are stored in the table and can be viewed at any time. Switch off the power source. This completes the recording of current-voltage characteristic of a diode in a direct polarization mode. One needs to change the polarity of the power source in order to put the diode in reverse polarization mode. This is done by clicking on the symbol of the variable voltage source at the virtual instrument, and selecting the voltage source with an altered polarity, as in Figure 11.

Figure 11
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NOTE: Notice that the change in voltage source polarity changes the scale of I(U) graph. When the power source is set for recording direct polarization of the diode, the graph displays only positive values of the current and voltage. When the power source is set for recording reverse polarization of the diode, the graph displays the entire characteristic of a diode. It is now necessary to change the polarity of the voltage source at the board itself. This is done by swapping the short-circuit element connected to the ground (GND) and the cable that is connected to the analog output AO 0, as in Figure 12.

Figure 12

Switch on the power source again. Increase the source voltage from 0V to 4V in a sufficient number of steps and enter corresponding values into the table. The graph will continue to draw the dependence I(U), but now for a reverse polarization of the diode. After recording the whole characteristic of the diode, switch off the power source.

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On the virtual instrument, click on the symbol for a variable DC voltage source and change its polarity (select the first symbol in Figure 11). On the board, place the short-circuit element that is connected to ground (GND) and a cable that is connected to analog output AO 0 as in Figure 8. Click on the symbol of the diode on the virtual instrument and choose a symbol for the LED, as in Figure 13.

Figure 13

On the board, replace the diode with the LED. The system is now ready to begin measuring characteristic of a directly polarized LED. Turn the switch on the power source on and repeat complete recording process of the direct and reverse characteristic of the LED, as described for the silicon diode. After recording the whole characteristic of LED, switch off the power source. Replace the LED with Zener diode in the scheme of the program and on the board, and repeat the process of recording first direct, and then reverse characteristic of this diode. Upon each change of a virtual diode, the data is entered into another table, and a new curve is drawn on the same graph. Entered values for each diode are memorized and, upon selecting of appropriate type (standard, Zener or LED) on the virtual instrument, are shown on the graph. To view results of measurements for all three diodes, click on the tab Graph for comparison of measurements above the graph. The experiment is finished when the user presses the Finish the exercise button which simultaneously begins a report generation procedure.

Data display and analysis

Current values of the current and voltage at the diodes can be seen on the virtual instruments (ampermeter and voltmeter), which are a part of the circuit. Values entered during measurements are stored in the table, and based on them, dependences of the current through the diode and the voltage at its ends are drawn on the graph, I(U) (Figure 14). Using saved graphs with the option Show cursor, the conducting voltage UD for each diode, as well as the breakdown voltage of Zener diode can be read/determined. Compare the result for the switching threshold of LED that is obtained by using graph with visually determined voltage when the LED starts to emit light (read voltage that caused LED to lit).

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Figure 14

Conclusion
Based on the measurement results and the results of the data analysis, current-voltage characteristic of different types of diodes are recorded, and characteristics of diodes are determined. Based on characteristics of silicon diode and LED, one can identify two distinct parts/modes of operation. The first part describes the operations of diodes when not conducting current: the voltage on the diode is smaller than conduction threshold and the current is approximately equal to zero. The second part describes operations of diodes when conducting current: the current is greater than zero and the voltage is approximately constant and equal to the voltage of conducting threshold of the diode. As for the Zener diode, its characteristic can be said to contain one more part/mode: the diode operating in a breakdown region.

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