7/23/2019 Real diode

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Electronics devices and circuits >> Semiconductor diodes >> Real diode
Semiconductor
diodes Real diode INCOME
P-N Junction The real diode or practical diode is a two terminal device, TAX
Zero bias P-N which allow most of the electric current under forward bias, FILING
Junction FROM Rs.
and block most of the electric current under reverse bias.
4 9 9 /-
Barrier voltage
Depletion region Under forward bias, real diodes allow most of the electric
Width of current and block small electric current whereas under
depletion region reverse bias, real diodes block most of the electric current
P-N junction and allow small electric current.
diode
Forward biased Real diode symbol
diode
Real diode consists of two terminals. Those two terminals are
Reverse biased
diode the positive terminal and the negative terminal. The positive

V-I terminal of the real diode is called anode whereas the

E MORE
characteristics of negative terminal of the diode is called cathode.
diode
The conventional electric current always flows from positive
Depletion region
breakdown terminal of the battery to the negative terminal of the battery.
Ideal diode However, the actual electric current flows from negative
Real diode terminal of the battery to the positive terminal of the battery.
Diode junction
capacitance If the p-type semiconductor is connected to the positive

Diode resistance terminal of the battery and the n-type semiconductor is

Zener diode connected to the negative terminal of the battery, the diode is
Avalanche diode said to be forward biased.
Photodiode
Light Emitting On the other hand, if the p-type semiconductor is connected
Diode to the negative terminal of the battery and the n-type
Laser diode semiconductor is connected to the positive terminal of the
Tunnel diode battery, the diode is said to be reverse biased.
Schottky diode
Varactor diode The circuit symbol of forward biased and reverse biased real
P-n junction diode is shown in the below figure.
diode
applications

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Silicon
Controlled
Rectifier

Ideal diode starts allowing the electric current, once the

forward voltage is applied. However, the real diode behaves
differently.

The real diodes do not allow the electric current, if the

forward voltage is less than the cut-in voltage. However, if the
forward voltage applied on the real diode reaches the cut-in
voltage, it starts allowing the electric current.

Forward biased real diode

Under forward bias, the positive terminal of the battery is

connected to the p-type semiconductor and the negative
terminal of the battery is connected to the n-type
semiconductor.

In the n-type semiconductor, free electrons are the majority

charge carriers and holes are the minority charge carriers
whereas in p-type semiconductor, holes are the majority
charge carriers and free electrons are the minority charges
carriers.

In forward biased real diode, the majority charge carriers

carry most of the electric current. The positive charge carriers
from p-side to n-side carry the conventional electric current.
However, the free electrons from n-side to p-side carry the
actual electric current.

When the forward voltage is applied on the real diode, it does

not allow the electric current up to a certain voltage because
the depletion region present at the p-n junction block the
electric current.

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7/23/2019 Real diode

However, once it reaches that voltage, real diode starts

allowing the electric current. In other words, if the voltage
applied on the real diode reaches 0.7 for silicon and 0.3 for
germanium, the electric current rises suddenly. The voltage at
which real diodes starts allowing the electric current is called
cut-in voltage.

This cut-in voltage is different for silicon and germanium

diodes. For silicon diode, the knee voltage or cut-in voltage is
approximately 0.7 volts whereas for germanium diode, the
knee voltage or cut-in voltage is approximately 0.3 volts.

Reverse biased real diode

Under reverse bias, the negative terminal of the battery is

connected to the p-type semiconductor and the positive
terminal of the battery is connected to the n-type
semiconductor.

When the reverse voltage is applied on the real diode, the

free electrons at the n-side moves away from the p-n junction
and attracted towards the positive terminal of the battery.
Similarly, the holes at the p-side moves away from the p-n
junction and attracted towards the negative terminal of the
battery. As a result, the width of the depletion region
increases.

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This depletion region blocks the majority carrier current (free

electrons at n-side and holes at p-side). However, it allows
the minority charge carrier current (free electrons at p-side
and holes at n-side). This minority charge carrier current in
the reverse biased real diode is called reverse saturation
current.

In the reverse biased real diode, the width of the depletion

region increases with the increase in voltage up to a certain
point. If it reaches that point, junction breaks down and
reverse current increases rapidly. The voltage at which the
junction breaks down is called the breakdown voltage.

Types of Diodes

The various types of diodes are as follows:

1. Zener diode

2. Avalanche diode

3. Photodiode

4. Light Emitting Diode

5. Laser diode

6. Tunnel diode

7. Schottky diode

8. Varactor diode

9. P-N junction diode

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