Experiment No.

01:
Title: Study of Semiconductor Diode.
Objective:
The Objective is to know how semiconductor diode is formed. Its classification and
biasing.

Theory:

Semiconductor Diode:

A material that has a conductivity level somewhere between the extremes of an insulator and a
conductor. Diode which is made by these materials are called semiconductor diodes. P-type and
n-type materials needed to be combined to make semiconductor diodes. Example : Si Dide, Ge
diode etc.

Fig. 1. P-n junction diode and its symbol

Diode is a unidirectional device that allows the current to flow in one direction and opposes in
other
direction.

Mostly used in rectification.

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Types of semiconductor:

Semiconductor materials can be classified by different ways. They are discussed below:

Intrinsic Semiconductor:

An intrinsic semiconductor material is chemically very pure and possesses poor conductivity. It
has equal numbers of negative carriers (electrons) and positive carriers (holes).

Fig. 2. Covalent bonding of the silicon atom

Extrinsic Materials:

A semiconductor material that has been subjected to the doping process is called an
extrinsic material.

It is two types: i) P- type material ii) n- type material

i) p-Type Material:

The p-type material is formed by doping a pure germanium or silicon crystal with impurity
atoms having three valence electrons.
The elements most frequently used for this purpose are boron (B), gallium (Ga), and indium (In).

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 Fig. 3. Boron impurity in p-type material

Here an insufficient number of electrons to complete the covalent bonds of the newly formed
lattice. The resulting vacancy is called a hole and is represented by a small circle or positive sign
due to the absence of a negative charge. The diffused impurities with three valence electrons are
called acceptor atoms.

ii) n-Type Material:

The n-type is created by introducing those impurity elements that have five valence electrons
(pentavalent), such as antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), and phosphorus (P).

Fig. 4. Antimony impurity in n-type material

Diffused impurities with five valence electrons are called donor atoms.

Majority and Minority Carriers:

In an n-type material (Fig. 3) the electron is called the majority carrier and the hole the minority
carrier.

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 In a p-type material (Fig. 2) the hole is the majority carrier and the electron is the minority
carrier.

Fig. 5. (a) n-type material; (b) p-type material

Depletion Region:

This region of uncovered positive and negative ions is called the depletion region due to the
depletion of carriers in this region.

Reverse-Bias Condition (VD <0 V):

Fig. 6. (a) Internal distribution of charge under reverse-bias conditions; (b) reverse-bias
polarity and direction of reverse saturation current
applied across the p-n junction in the opposite polarity of the p and n
type materials.

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 -type material are attracted toward the positive terminal of the voltage
source.
es in the p-type material are attracted toward the negative terminal of the voltage
source.
increase
the current. This current is referred to as reverse saturation current. Current is due to minority
charge carriers.

Forward characteristics:

Fig. 7. (a) Internal distribution of charge under forward-bias conditions; (b) forward-bias
polarity and direction of resulting current
External voltage is applied across the p-n junction in the same polarity as the p and n type
materials.
VD will pressure e- in the n-type and holes in the p-type material to
recombine with the ions near the boundary. VD reduces the width of the depletion region.
- and holes have the sufficient energy to cross the p-n junction.
very little amount of current called the forward current flows until the forward voltage
exceeds the junction barrier potential.
Current is due to majority carriers.

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Reports :
1) What do you understant by thershold volatge?
2) What does it mean by the thershold volatge of Silion is 0.7?
3) What do you understand by doping and how it affect a material?
4) If the reverse biasing is applied increasingly in a diode what would happen?
5) How depletion region can be stopped from forming in reverse biasing?

Discussion:

1) What are the learnings you got from this experiment?

2) The effect of semiconductor devices in electronics field.

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