Semiconductor Diode

Chapter 1

Prepared by:
Engr. Francis P.
Gubangco
 Introduction
 What is Electronics?
The branch of physics concerned with
the behavior and application of electric charge
carriers in components, devices and systems that
accomplish:
1. Amplification
2. Oscillation
3. Signal processing and/or
4. Switching
 Introduction
 What is a Semiconductor Diode?
A two-element device containing an anode
and a cathode, and providing unidirectional
conduction.
Used as a switch, rectifiers, detectors, peak
clippers, mixers, modulators, amplifiers,
oscillators, and in test instruments.
Invented in 1939.
 Vacuum Tube
 “ Used to amplify, switch
or modify signals by
controlling electrons in a
vacuum.”
Semiconductor
Materials
 Semiconductor Theory
 Refers to study of materials that has
characteristics that lies between an insulator
and a conductor
 Important terms:
Atom, Atomic Number, Shells,
Valence Electrons
Atom
Atom
Atom
 Conductors
 What is a conductor?
An electrical conductor is applied to any material
in which the electrons are mobile and support a
generous flow of charge when a voltage source of
limited magnitude is applied across it.
Examples:
Best: Silver and gold
Common: Copper and Aluminum
 Conductivity vs. Resistivity
 Inversely related to the conductivity of a material
is its resistance to the flow of charge, or current.

 The higher the conductivity level, the lower the

resistance level.
 Conductivity vs. Resistivity
 R = ρL/A ohms
 Resistivity ρ ohm-cm
 Insulators
 What is an insulator?
An insulator prevents electrical currents from
flowing and offers a very low level of conductivity
under pressure from an applied voltage source.
Examples:
Porcelain or glass, dry wood, paper, pure
water, and plastics.
 Semiconductors
 What is a semiconductor?
A semiconductor allows electrons flow, but not
as well as they do in a conductor.
Semiconductors are treated to have special
properties.
Examples: Silicon, Germanium, and
Gallium Arsenide
Semiconductor Materials
Atomic Structure
 Valence Electrons
 How many valence electrons are there in an
atom of Silicon? Germanium? Gallium? Arsenic?

 Silicon = 4 (Tetravalent);
 Germanium = 4 (Tetravalent)
 Gallium = 3 (Trivalent)
 Arsenic = 5 (Pentavalent)
 Covalent Bonding
 The bonding of atoms, strengthened by the
sharing of electrons, is called covalent bonding.
 Intrinsic Carriers
 The free electrons in the material due only to
natural causes are referred to as
intrinsic carriers.
 These natural causes include effects such as
light energy in the form of photons and
thermal energy from the surrounding medium.
 Intrinsic Carriers
Semiconductor Intrinsic Carriers
per cm3
GaAs 1.7 x 106
Si 1.5 x 1010
Ge 2.5 x 1013

An increase in temperature of a semiconductor

can result in a substantial increase in the number
of free electrons in the material.
 Energy Levels
 The more distant the electron from the nucleus,
the higher the energy state, and any electron that
has left its parent atom has a higher energy state
than any electron in the atomic structure.
 Energy Levels
 The energy associated with each electron is
measured in electron volts (eV).
Energy Levels
 Intrinsic Materials
 Intrinsic materials are those semiconductors that
have been carefully refined to reduce the
impurities to a very low level—essentially as
pure as can be made available through modern
technology.
 Extrinsic Materials
 The characteristics of semiconductor materials can
be altered significantly by the addition of certain
impurity atoms into the relatively pure
semiconductor material using a process called
Doping.
 A semiconductor material that has been subjected to
the doping process is called an extrinsic material.
 Types: N-type and P-type materials
 Extrinsic N-type Materials
 The n-type is created by introducing those impurity
elements that have five valence electrons
(pentavalent).
 The elements most frequently used for this purpose
are antimony, arsenic, and phosphorus.
 Diffused impurities with five valence electrons are
called donor atoms.
Effect of Donor Impurities
 Extrinsic P-type Materials
 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, gallium, and indium.
 The diffused impurities with three valence electrons
are called acceptor atoms.
 The resulting vacancy is called a hole.
Effect of Donor Impurities
Electron vs. Hole Flow
Majority and Minority Carriers
Semiconductor
Diodes
 No applied bias( VD= 0 volt)

 In the absence of an applied bias voltage, the net flow

of charge in any one direction for a semiconductor
diode is zero.
 Reverse-Bias (VD< 0 V)

 The current that exists under reverse-bias conditions

is called the reverse saturation current and is
represented by Is.
 Forward-Bias (VD > 0 V)

 VD will “pressure” electrons in the n-type material

and holes in the p-type material to recombine with
the ions near the boundary and reduce the width of
the depletion region
 Ideal Diode
 Ideally, a diode will conduct current in the
direction defined by the arrow in the symbol and
act like an open circuit to any attempt to establish
current in the opposite direction.
 The ideal diode, is a short circuit for the region
of conduction.
 The ideal diode, is an open circuit in the region
of non-conduction.
Ideal diode
Diode characteristic curve
 Diode Current

 ID = forward current
 Is = reverse saturation current
 K =11,600/η with η=1 for Ge and η=2 for Si for
relatively low levels current
and η=1 for Ge and Si for higher current
 TK = TC + 273° (Temperature)
 Diode Current

 No Biased: VD = 0
ID = 0 amp
 Reverse Biased: VD < 0

ID = - IS amp
 Forward Biased: VD > 0

ID > 0 amp
 Zener Region

 The maximum reverse-bias potential that can be

applied before entering the Zener region is called
the peak inverse voltage (PIV rating) or the peak
reverse voltage (PRV rating).
Silicon vs. Germanium
 Effect of Temperature

The reverse saturation current Is will just

about double in magnitude for every 10°C
increase in temperature.
DC or Static Resistance
 Determine the dc resistance for the diode
voltages shown in the curve.
AC or Dynamic Resistance
Determine the AC
resistance for
 ID = 25 mA
 ID = 2 mA
Average AC Resistance
 Diode Capacitance:
Transition and Diffusion
Reverse Recovery Time
 Diode Equivalent Circuit

 Ideal Diode
 Diode Equivalent Circuit

 Simplified
 Diode Equivalent Circuit
 Piecewise-Linear