ALPHA BREATHING

Recap

EVOCATION

General objective: Explain the working of P N Junction diode and zener

diode

Specific objective1 : Recall the basics semiconductors and energy

bands,(Science)

SEMICONDUCTORS
Semiconductors are materials whose electrical
conductivities are higher than those of insulators
but lower that those of conductors.
Silicon, Germanium, Gallium, Arsenide, Indium,
Antimonies and cadmium sulphide are some
commonly used semiconductors.
Semiconductors
have
negative
temperature
coefficients of resistance, i.e. as temperature
increases resistivity deceases.

Energy Bands In Insulators &

Conductors

Energy Bands In Semiconductors

Forbidden band is small for
semiconductors.
Less energy required for
electron to move from
valence to conduction band.
A vacancy (hole) remains
when an electron leaves the
valence band.
Hole acts as a positive
charge carrier.

Classification of Semiconductors
Intrinsic Semiconductor
Extrinsic Semiconductor

Intrinsic Semiconductor
Pure semiconductor
Impurities are not added
silicon and germanium
When electric field is applied across an intrinsic
semiconductor the current conduction takes place.

Extrinsic Semiconductor
A pure or intrinsic conductor has thermally generated holes and electrons.
However these are relatively few in number.
An enormous increase in the number of charge carriers can by achieved
by introducing impurities into the semiconductor in a controlled manner.
The result is the formation of an extrinsic semiconductor.
This process of adding impurities to the semiconductor is called as
doping.
There are basically two types of impurities:
donor impurities and acceptor impurities.
Donor impurities (Pentavalent) are made up of atoms (arsenic for
example) which have five valence electrons.
Acceptor impurities (Trivalent) are made up of atoms (gallium for
example) which have three valence electrons.

N-type Semiconductor

A small amount of pentavalent

impurities (Arsenic, Antimony ,
Phosphorous) is added to the pure
semiconductor
(silicon
or
Germanium).
The electrons are the majority
carriers
The holes are the minority carriers.
This is called donor impurities
because it donates electrons for
conduction.

P-type Semiconductor
A small amount of trivalent
impurities (Aluminum, Boron) is
added to the pure semiconductor
(silicon or Germanium).
This is called Acceptor impurities
because it accepts electrons for
conduction.
Boron atom donates a hole for
conduction, it becomes a
negatively charged ion.
No of holes greater than the no.
of electrons.
The holes are the majority
carriers.
The electrons are the minority
carriers

Specific objective 2: Explain the construction and characteristics of PN

junction diode

P-N Junction Diode

The p-n junction can be formed by allowing a p-type
material to diffuse into a n-type region at high
temperatures.
The meeting point of P & N type material is called PN
junction.
Diffusion
N type material has high concentration of free electrons
P type material has high concentration of free holes
At the junction there is a tendency for the free electrons
to diffuse over to the P side and holes to the N side.
This is called diffusion.

P-N JUNCTION DIODE

Free electrons on the n-side and free holes

on the p-side can initially diffuse across the
junction. Uncovered charges are left in the
neighbourhood of the junction.
This region is depleted of mobile carriers

P-N JUNCTION DIODE

The diffusion of electrons and holes stop due to the
barrier p.d (p.d across the junction) reaching some
critical value.
The barrier p.d (or the contact potential) depends on the
type of semiconductor, temperature and doping
densities.
At room temperature, typical values of barrier p.d. are:
Ge ~ 0.2 0.4 V
Si ~ 0.6 0.8 V

FORWARD BIAS P-N JUNCTION

When an external voltage is applied to the P-N junction making the P side
positive with respect to the N side the diode is said to be forward biased
(F.B).
The barrier p.d. is decreased by the external applied voltage. The depletion
band narrows which urges majority carriers to flow across the junction.
A F.B. diode has a very low resistance.

REVERSE BIAS P-N JUNCTION

When an external voltage is applied to the PN junction making the P side
negative with respect to the N side the diode is said to be Reverse Biased
(R.B.).
The barrier p.d. increases. The depletion band widens preventing the
movement of majority carriers across the junction.
A

R.B. diode has a very high resistance.

Reverse Bias P-N Junction

Only thermally generated minority carriers are urged across
the p-n junction.
Therefore the magnitude of the reverse saturation current (or
reverse leakage current) depends on the temperature of the
semiconductor.
When the PN junction is reversed biased the width of the
depletion layer increases, however if the reverse voltage gets
too large a phenomenon known as diode breakdown occurs.

VI Characteristics

 Specific objective 3:List the applications of P N Junction

diode

Applications
Rectifiers
Switch in digital logic circuits
Free wheeling in inductor circuits

Specific objective 4: Analyze the characteristics of Zener

diode

Zener Diode
A "reverse biased" PN junction diode blocks current in the reverse
direction, but will suffer from premature breakdown or damage if the
reverse voltage applied across it is too high.
However, the Zener Diode or "Breakdown Diode" as they are
sometimes called, are basically the same as the standard PN
junction diode but are specially designed to have a low predetermined Reverse Breakdown Voltage that takes advantage of
this high reverse voltage.
The point at which a zener diode breaks down or conducts is called
the "Zener Voltage" (Vz).
Avalanche Breakdown(for lightly doped)
Zener Breakdown(for heavily doped)

Zener Diode Characteristics

Zener Diode Application

Voltage Regulator
Load voltage is to be constant
Zener diode is reverse biased so the voltage across the diode
remains constant if there is a change in input voltage.

A conventional solid-state diode allows significant current if it is

reverse-biased above its reverse breakdown voltage.

When the reverse bias breakdown voltage is exceeded, a

conventional diode is subject to high current due to avalanche
breakdown.

A Zener diode exhibits almost the same properties, except the

device is specially designed so as to have a reduced breakdown
voltage, the so-called Zener voltage.
By contrast with the conventional device, a reverse-biased Zener
diode exhibits a controlled breakdown and allows the current to
keep the voltage across the Zener diode close to the Zener
breakdown voltage.

For example, a diode with a Zener breakdown voltage of

3.2 V exhibits a voltage drop of very nearly 3.2 V across
a wide range of reverse currents.
The Zener diode is therefore ideal for applications such
as the generation of a reference voltage (e.g. for an
amplifier stage), or as a voltage stabilizer for low-current
applications.

 Special purpose diode

Diode especially designed and doped to work in reverse
bias(i.e. with P being-ve & N being +ve)
works like a normal diode in forward bias(i.e. with N
being-ve & P being +ve)
But, it conducts in reverse bias only when sufficient
reverse biasing voltage is reached called breakdown
voltage, Vz.

 Animation _ How a P N junction semiconductor works _

forward reverse bias _ diffusion drift current[1].mp4

Zener Diode Characteristics

DRAW
MINDMAP

Mind Map
PN Junction diode

P type
Semi
conducto
r

Diodes

N type
Semi
conducto
r

Construct
ion

Characteristi
cs

Applications
Rectifiers
Switch

PN Junction

Application
Voltage
Regulator

Characteristics

FB
Characteri
stics

Zener Diode

RB
Characteri
stics

35

presentation
SUMMARY

Summary
Energy Band Structure
Semi conductor
Classification of semiconductor
Intrinsic Semiconductor
Extrinsic Semiconductor
PN junction diode
The p-n junction can be formed by allowing a p-type material to diffuse into a
n-type region at high temperatures.
Characteristics
FB & RB characteristics
PN junction diode applications
Rectifiers ,Switch in digital logic circuits , Zener diodes in voltage regulators
Zener diode & application

Avalanche Breakdown
Zener Breakdown

Voltage Regulator

Stimulating Questions:
1.Why the P N diode damaged after certain voltage?
2. How Zener diode works in reverse voltage?

 Zener diode will also conduct a large reverse current, but

the device will not be damaged. This is achieved by
changing the way of doping the PN junction and this
reverse voltage is called the Zener voltage.