Content

1.Pn junction diode

2.Formation of P-N Junction
3.Biasing conditions for the p-n Junction Diode
4.Forward Bias
5.Reverse Bias
6.P-N Junction Formula
7.Flow of current in p-n junction diode
8.Applications of PN Junction Diode
9.Bibliography
 Pn junction diode

substance that has specific electrical properties that

enable it to serve as a foundation for computers and
other electronic devices. It is typically a solid chemical
element or compound that conducts electricity under
certain conditions but not others.
Gallium arsenide, germanium, and silicon are some of
the most commonly used semiconductors. Silicon is
used in electronic circuit fabrication and gallium arsenide
is used in solar cells, laser diodes, etc.
Inside a semiconductor, a p-n junction is an interface or
a border between two semiconductor material types,
namely the p-type and the n-type.
The semiconductor’s p-side, or positive side, has an
excess of holes, whereas the n-side, or negative side,
has an excess of electrons. The doping process is used
to produce the p-n junction in a semiconductor.

Formation of P-N Junction

The p–type semiconductor has holes and the n–type
semiconductor has free electrons as the majority charge
carriers. When both p–type and n-type materials are
suitably joined together to form pn–junction. At the
junction, the free electrons from the n–side diffuse over
to the p–side and the holes from the p–side to the n–
side. Since both the materials are electrically neutral, so
a positive charge is build up on the n–side of the
junction and negative charge on the p–side of the
junction. This created charge soon prevents further
diffusion. It is because the positive charge on n–side
repels the holes crossing the junction from p–side to n–
side and negative charge on p–side repels the electrons
crossing the junction from n-side to p–side. Thus, a
barrier is set up against the movement of charge carriers
across the junction. This is called Potential Barrier (VB).
The value of VB ranges from 0.1 to 0.7 V.

Biasing conditions for the p-n Junction

Diode
>In a p-n junction diode, there are two operational regions:
1.p-type
2.n-type

>The voltage applied determines one of three biasing

conditions for p-n junction diodes:
1.There is no external voltage provided to the p-n junction
diode while it is at zero bias.
2.Forward bias: The p-type is linked to the positive terminal of
the voltage potential, while the n-type is connected to the
negative terminal.
3.Reverse bias: The p-type is linked to the negative terminal of
the voltage potential, while the n-type is connected to the
positive terminal.

Forward Bias
> The p-n junction is said to be forward-biased
when the p-type is connected to the positive terminal of the
battery and the n-type to the negative terminal. The built-in
electric field at the p-n junction and the applied electric field are
in opposing directions when the p-n junction is forward
biased.
> The resulting electric field is smaller than the built-in electric
field when both electric fields are added together. As a result,
the depletion area becomes less resistant and thinner. When
the applied voltage is high, the resistance of the depletion zone
becomes insignificant. At 0.6 V, the resistance of the
depletion area in silicon becomes absolutely insignificant,
allowing current to flow freely over it.

Reverse
Bias
 The p-n junction is
said to be reverse-
biased when the p-type is linked to the negative terminal
of the battery and the n-type is attached to the positive
 side. The applied electric field and the built-in electric field
are both in the same direction in this situation.
 The resultant electric field is in the same direction as the
built-in electric field, resulting in a more resistive, thicker
depletion zone. If the applied voltage is increased, the
depletion area gets more resistant and thicker.

P-N Junction Formula

The p-n junction formula, which is based on the built-in
potential difference generated by the electric field, is as follows:

For Example:

Flow of current in p-n junction diode

 When the voltage is increased, electrons move from the
n-side to the p-side of the junction. The migration of holes
 from the p-side to the n-side of the junction occurs in a
similar manner as the voltage rises. As a result, a
concentration gradient exists between the terminals on
both sides.

 There will be a movement of charge carriers from higher

concentration regions to lower concentration regions as a
result of the development of the concentration gradient.
The current flow in the circuit is caused by the movement
of charge carriers inside the p-n junction.
 Applications of PN Junction
Diode

 When the p-n junction diode’s arrangement is reverse-

biased, the diode may be utilised as a photodiode since it
is sensitive to light.
 It has the potential to be utilised as a solar cell.
 The diode can be utilised in LED lighting applications
when it is forward-biased.
 Many electric circuits utilise it as a rectifier, while varactors
employ it as a voltage-controlled oscillator.
 Bibliography

 www.geeksforgeeks.org
 www.techtarget.com
 Xamidea physics
 www.byjus.com
 www.wikipedia.org
 www.google.com
 www.electrical4u.com
 www.circuitglobe.com
 www.testbook.com
 www.quora.com
 www.brainkart.com
 www.vedantu.com