SEMICONDUCTOR

DEVICES

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Topics/Agenda
 Definition of semiconductors
 Characteristics of semiconductors
 ​Application of semiconductors
 Semiconductor Devices
 ​Diodes Definition and Types
 Semiconductors
These are materials which have a conductivity
between conductors (generally metals) and
nonconductors or insulators (such as most ceramics).
Semiconductors can be pure elements, such as silicon or
germanium, or compounds such as gallium arsenide or
cadmium selenide.

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 Semiconductors
In a process called doping, small amounts of
impurities are added to pure semiconductors causing
large changes in the conductivity of the material.
Doping allows researchers to manipulate the conductance
of a semiconductor

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 Semiconductors
The semiconductor industry is a hugely important
sector for world economies, with semiconductor
components found in a wide range of consumer and
commercial products from vehicles to computers to
mobile devices and personal electronics.

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 Semiconductors
p-type semiconductors - the effect of a positive charge is
generated in the absence of an electron.
n-type semiconductors - the electrons have a negative
charge.

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Characteristics of
Semiconductor
 are like insulators but when temperature is
increased, they work as conductors.

 suitable for energy conversion, switches, and

amplifiers.

 lesser power losses

Characteristics of
Semiconductor
 smaller sized and possess less weight
 resistance decreases with the increase in
temperature and inversely increases with a
decrease in temperature
 Semiconductors
Semiconductors are the Brains of Modern
Electronics. Due to their role in the fabrication of
electronic devices, semiconductors are an important part
of our lives. Imagine life without electronic devices.
There would be no smartphones, radios, TVs, computers,
video games, or advanced medical diagnostic equipment.

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Application of
Semiconductors
 Consumer electronics
 Embedded systems
 Thermal conductivity
 Lighting and LED displays
 Solar cells
 Semiconductor Devices
These devices are said to be neither good insulators
nor good conductors. They are widely used in many of
the applications due to their reliability, compactness, low
cost. As a discrete component, a semiconductor is used as
optical sensors, power devices, light emitters, and also
including the solid-state lasers.
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Types of
Semiconductors Devices
 Two-terminal devices
 Three-terminal devices
 Four or more terminal devices
 Two-terminal Devices
Two-terminal devices include
Diode, Photoconductive, IR emitters, Liquid crystal
display(LCD), Photocell, Phototransistor, Solar cell, etc.

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 Diodes
A diode is a semiconductor device that essentially
acts as a one-way switch for current. It allows current to
flow easily in one direction, but severely restricts current
from flowing in the opposite direction. Diodes are also
known as rectifiers because they change alternating
current (ac) into pulsating direct current (dc).
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 Diodes
Diodes have polarity, determined by
an anode (positive lead) and cathode (negative lead).
Most diodes allow current to flow only when positive
voltage is applied to the anode. They are rated according
to their type, voltage, and current capacity.

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Diodes

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Types of Diodes
 Zener Diode
 Schottky Diode
 Varactor Diode
 Power Diode
 Photo Diode
 Light Emitting Diode
 Zener Diodes
Zener diode is a semiconductor device consisting of a
P-N junction which conducts the current in reverse direction
when a certain specified voltage is reached. It has a reverse
breakdown voltage which means it can continuously operate
in a reverse-bias mode without getting damaged. They are
called voltage regulator diodes or breakdown diodes.
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Zener Diodes

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 Zener Diodes Characteristics
The first characteristic is the part in which the it
receives forward voltage, which is positive voltage
across its anode to cathode terminals (forward biased).
The second characteristics is the more important,
This is the part in which it receives positive voltage
across its cathode to anode terminals.
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 Zener Diodes Characteristics
Once the voltage across it reached the breakdown
voltage, the voltage it drops across itself will not
increase. For example, if it has a zener voltage of 5.1V,
and the voltage supplying it continues to increase, to say
12V, it will maintain its zener voltage, 5.1V, even though
the voltage (and current) supplying it continues to
increase.
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Applications of
Zener Diode
 Voltage regulator
 Overvoltage protection
 Clipping Circuits
 Voltage Shifting
 Schottky Diodes
The Schottky diode is a type of metal –
semiconductor junction diode, which is also known as
hot-carrier diode, low voltage diode or barrier diode. It is
formed by the junction of a semiconductor with a metal.
Schottky diode offers fast switching action and has a low
forward voltage drop. In a Schottky diode metals like
platinum or aluminum are used instead of P type
semiconductors. 23
Schottky Diodes

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 Schottky Diodes
Schottky diodes have been useful for the industry
of electronics that has spotted many applications in diode
rectifiers because of its unique properties. The forward
voltage drop of the Schottky diode is low between 0.2 to
0.3 volts. Schottky diode turns “ON” and starts
conducting at a much lower voltage level.
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Applications of
Schottky Diodes
 RF mixer - and detector diode its
radio frequency functions owing to
its switching speed at the highest
level and top frequency capability.
 Power rectifier - low voltage drop
shows that the wastage of power is
lesser than the normal PN junction
diodes
Applications of
Schottky Diodes
 Power OR circuits - It is important
that the power coming from supply
should not mix with the others.
 Solar Cell Applications - mostly
batteries with lead-acid since power
supply must be necessary round the
clock.
Advantages of
Schottky Diodes
 High efficiency
 Low forward voltage drop
 It can operate high frequency
 Produces less unwanted noise than
P-N junction diode
 Low power consumption.
 Rapid response to a change in bias
Disadvantages of
Schottky Diodes
 Is more expensive.
 Operate at low voltages compare to
the P-N junction diode
 Can't withstand much higher voltage
without break down
 Have relatively higher reverse
current
 It gets heated up quickly in practical.
 Varactor Diodes
Varactor diode is a type of diode whose internal
capacitance varies with respect to the reverse voltage. It
always works in reverse bias conditions and is a voltage-
dependent semiconductor device. Several names know
varactor diode as Varicap, Voltcap, Voltage variable
capacitance, or Tuning diode.

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 Varactor Diodes
The function of the varactor diode is to store
charges, so it is always operated in reverse bias
conditions. When a forward bias voltage is applied, the
electric current flows. The junction capacitance of a p-n
junction diode is inversely proportional to the width of
the depletion layer.

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Varactor Diodes

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 Varactor Diodes Characteristics
They are voltage-controlled capacitors and are
sometimes known as varicap diodes.
The diodes are uniquely optimized and
manufactured to enable high-range changes in
capacitance.

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Advantages of
Varactor Diodes
 It generates less noise
 It is lightweight
 Reliable
 Low cost
 It has a small size
Disadvantage of
Varactor Diodes
 specially designed to work in the
reverse-biased mode
Applications of
Varactor Diodes
Radio
Television
Remote controls
Frequency generators
Frequency converters or mixers
 Power Diodes
A power diode is a type of diode that is commonly
used in power electronics circuits. Just like a regular
diode, a power diode has two-terminals and conducts
current in one direction. A power diode varies in
construction from a standard diode to enable this higher
current rating.

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 Power Diodes
Power diodes are also similar to regular diodes,
although they vary slightly in their construction. is a
crystalline semiconductor device, made primarily of
silicon, used mainly to convert alternating current (AC)
to direct current (DC), a process known as rectification.

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Power Diodes

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Advantages of
Power Diodes
 Best used in high voltage/high
current applications
Disadvantages of
Power Diodes
 Its size & probably needs to be
fixed to a heat sink while
conducting a high current.
 It needs specialized hardware
for installing
Applications of
Power Diodes
 DC power supplies
 Battery chargers
 Inverters
 AC Rectifiers
 Photo Diodes
A photodiode is a PN-junction diode that consumes
light energy to produce an electric current. They are also
called a photo-detector, a light detector, and a photo-
sensor. Photodiodes are designed to work in reverse bias
condition. Increasing the absorption area of the
photodiode increases the absorption of light but also
increases the response time.
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Photo Diodes

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Photo Diodes in Circuits

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Applications of
Photo Diodes
 safety electronics like fire and
smoke detectors
 measurement of the intensity of
light
 detection circuits
several medical applications
 solar cell panels
Photo Diodes Application

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 Photo Diodes Characteristics
Reverse current does not depend on reverse
voltage. When there is no light illumination, reverse
current will be almost zero. The minimum amount of
current present is called as Dark Current. Once when the
light illumination increases, reverse current also
increases linearly.

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Photo Diodes Application

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Advantage of
Photo Diodes
 Low resistance
 Better frequency response
 Low dark current
 Fastest photodetector
 Long lifetime
 It is highly sensitive to the light
Compact and lightweight
Disadvantage of
Photo Diodes
 It depends on the temperature
 Small active area
 Light sensitive device
 Poor temperature stability
 Not sufficient to drive the circuit
 It need offset voltage
 Light-Emitting Diodes (LED)
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor
device that emits light when an electric current flows
through it. When current passes through an LED, the
electrons recombine with holes emitting light in the
process. LEDs allow the current to flow in the forward
direction and blocks the current in the reverse direction.
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 Light-Emitting Diodes (LED)
The light emitting diode is the most visible type of
semiconductor diode. They emit a fairly narrow
bandwidth of either visible light at different coloured
wavelengths, invisible infra-red light for remote controls
or laser type light when a forward current is passed
through them.

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Light-Emitting Diodes (LED)

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Light-Emitting Diodes (LED)

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 LED Color Temperature
LED lighting is all the rage these days. It’s energy
efficient, long-lasting and available in a wide variety of
innovative shapes. But the thing that matters most to
people when shopping for LED lights and bulbs is the
actual color quality of the light. We call this “color
temperature.”
In simplest terms, color temperature is a light’s
appearance of “warmth” or “coolness.” 56
LED Color
Temperature
 LED Color Wavelength
The output from a LED can range from red (at a
wavelength of approximately 700 nm) to blue-violet
(about 400 nm). Some LEDs emit infrared (IR) energy
(830 nm or longer); such a device is known as an
infrared-emitting diode (IRED).

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LED Color Wavelength

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 LED Brightness
The current through an LED determines its
brightness. The higher the current, the brighter it shines.
Too much current can break the LED, so resistors are
used to limit the current flow as protection. One resistor
value that is good for most LEDs is 330Ω.

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 LED-limiting Resistor
The forward voltage value is the voltage required to
cause the LED to light. Typical Red, Green, Orange, and
Yellow LEDs have a forward voltage of approximately
2.0 volts; but White and Blue LEDs have a forward
voltage value of 3.4 volts. Because of this variation, the
value of resistor value will vary depending on what the
LED color is.
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 LED-limiting Resistor
1. Determine the voltage and current needed for
your LED.
2. We’ll use the following formula in series to determine
the resistor value: Resistor = (Battery Voltage – LED
voltage) / desired LED current.
3. For a typical white LED that requires 10mA, some
LED is 20mA. 62
 LED-limiting Resistor
So assuming a 12-volts power source and a white
LED with the desired current of 10 mA; The formula
becomes Resistor = (12-3.4)/.010 which is 860 ohms.
Since this is not a standard value I would use an 820-ohm
resistor.

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 LED-limiting Resistor
We also need to determine the power rating (watts)
of the required resistor. This is calculated by multiplying
the voltage value dropped across the resistor by the
current value flowing in it. For our example above, (12-
3.4) X .010 = 0.086 so we can safely use a ¼ watt
resistor.

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 LED-limiting Resistor
To use several LEDs in parallel, sum the current
values. From the example above, if we use 5 white LEDs
the current requirement is 10mA x 5 = 50mA. So (12-
3.4)/.050=172 ohms.

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Pro’s and Con’s of LED

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Applications of LED
 Picture phones and digital watches
 TV Backlighting
 Camera flashes
 Automotive heat lamps
 Aviation lighting
 Indicators
 Wall lighting
 Traffic signals
 SUMMARY
At Contoso, we believe in giving 110%. By using our next-generation data
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 REFERENCE
• https://www.wevolver.com/article/understanding-n-type-vs-p
-type-semiconductors
• https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/semiconductor.asp
• https://www.semiconductors.org/semiconductors-101/what-i
s-a-semiconductor/#:~:text=Semiconductors%20are%20an%
20essential%20component,energy%2C%20and%20countless
%20other%20applications
.

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THANK YOU
 QUIZ #1

1. The minimum amount of current present in

Photo Diode. Once when the light illumination
it increases.

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 QUIZ #1

2. Varactor diodes are also known as ?

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 QUIZ #1

3. It is a type of metal – semiconductor junction

diode, which is also known as hot-carrier diode,
low voltage diode or barrier diode.

Presentation title 73
 QUIZ #1

4. They change alternating current (ac) into

pulsating direct current (dc).

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 QUIZ #1

5. They are called voltage regulator diodes or

breakdown diodes.

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 QUIZ #1

6. It is the forward voltage drop of the Schottky

diode.

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 QUIZ #1

7. A diode that is best used in high voltage/high

current applications.

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 QUIZ #1

8. Give one application of varactor diodes.

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 QUIZ #1

9. Photo diodes are also called.

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 QUIZ #1

10. It is proportional to current. When current

increases, it also increases.

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 QUIZ #1
Give the electronics symbol of the following.

1. Photodiode
2. Zener Diode
3. Varactor Diode
4. Schottky Diode
5. Power Diode
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 ANSWER
1. DARK CURRENT 6. between 0.2 to 0.3 volts
2. Varicap, Voltcap, Voltage 7. Power diode
variable capacitance, or Tuning 8. Radio, TV, Remote controls,
diode frequency mixer, F-generators
3. Schottky Diode 9. photo-detector, a light detector,
4. Rectifiers and a photo-sensor
5. Zener Diodes 10. Temperature
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 ANSWER

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