DIODE SWITCHING CHARACTERISTICS.

GROUP 4
• Gioele Bianchi
• Bill Michael Tchinda Kamte
• Muhammad Ammad Khan
 Diode switching characteristics (group 4)

Abstract:

This experiment investigates and compares the switching characteristics of two different types of
diodes: Schottky diode(1N5819) and fast recovery rectifier diode (FR104). Diodes play a crucial role
in electronic circuits, especially in power electronics. Understanding their switching behavior is
essential for efficient circuit design and performance optimization. In this experiment, we analyze
the Turn-on and Turn-off switching characteristics of both diode types and compare their
performance in terms of switching speed and recovery time.

Introduction:

Diodes are semiconductor devices that permit current flow in one direction while blocking it in the
opposite direction. Schottky diodes and fast recovery rectifier diodes are two common types used
in electronic circuits. Schottky diodes are known for their fast-switching speed and low forward
voltage drop, making them suitable for high-frequency applications. On the other hand, fast
recovery rectifier diodes are designed to minimize reverse recovery time, making them ideal for
rectification and power supply applications where fast switching is required.

Objective:

The main objective of this experiment is to compare the switching characteristics of Schottky diode
and fast recovery rectifier diode under different operating conditions.

Experimental Setup:

• Schottky diode (1N5819)

• Fast recovery rectifier diode (FR104)
• DC power supply
• Resistors 110Ω
• Function generator SFG-2110
• Oscilloscope TDS1002B
• Breadboard
• Connecting wires

Calculation:

we excite them with a square wave (f = 1kHz; D = 50%; VH = 7V; VL = −3V) and we

measure the voltages v1 and v2, then we calculate the diode current as:
𝑣1 − 𝑣2
𝐼𝑓 =
𝑅
 Diode switching characteristics (group 4)

Data Analysis and Observation:

I- TURN-ON (1N5819 and FR104)

Voltage and Current graph

(a) 1N5819 (b) FR104

(c) 1N5819 (d) FR104

Figure 1: Turn on voltage and current.

From the figure above of the voltage-time and current-time graphs for both the Schottky diode and
the fast recovery rectifier diode exhibit similar trends during forward bias. However, the key
differences lie in their forward voltage drops and reverse recovery behaviors, which are reflected in
the shapes of their respective graphs. The Schottky diode generally exhibits lower forward voltage
drop and negligible reverse recovery time compared to the fast recovery rectifier diode.
 Diode switching characteristics (group 4)

II- TURN-OFF (1N5819 and FR104)

Voltage and Current graph

(a) 1N5819 (b) FR104

(c) 1N5819 (d) FR104

Figure 2: Turn off voltage and current.

From the figure 2 above we can observe that Schottky diodes exhibit faster switching behavior with
rapid changes in voltage and current compared to fast recovery rectifier diodes. This is primarily
due to the absence of minority carrier storage effects in Schottky diodes, resulting in faster
recovery times and quicker transitions.

III- TURN OFF FR104 VARIATION

On this analysis repeated the turn-off measurement of the FR104 and varied the voltage of the
generator from ±3V to ±7V to see the variation of the charge of the FR104.

For this analysis we will concentrate on varying the VL (-3V, -5V, -7V) while maintaining VH constant.
 Diode switching characteristics (group 4)

For VH= 5V, we came out with the following graph of current against time and charge against
current.

(a) VL=-3A (b) VL=-7A

(c) VL=-3A (d) VL=-7A

Figure 2: Turn off current-time and charge-current graph.

From the current-Time graph above we can observe an increase in the peak current at higher
voltage level, the diode shows an initial high reverse current due to the presence of stored minority
carriers contributing to the reverse conduction. As these minority carriers are depleted and swept
out of the junction, the reverse current gradually decreases until the diode fully turns off.

The charge versus forward current graph shows a gradual increase in forward current with a
corresponding increase in the amount of charge carriers participating in conduction. As the forward
voltage increases gradually, more charge carriers are injected into the diode, leading to increased
forward current.

CONCLUSION
The experiment successfully compared the switching characteristics and analyzed the current
behavior of Schottky diode and fast recovery rectifier diode. The results highlight the differences in
forward voltage drop, forward current, and reverse recovery current between the two diode types.
Understanding these current characteristics is crucial for optimizing circuit performance and
selecting the most suitable diode for a given application.
Diode switching characteristics (group 4)