P type and N type semiconductors, taken

separately are of very limited use.

If we join a piece of P type material to a piece

of N type material such that the crystal
structure remains continuous at the boundary,,
….. A PN JUNCTION is formed
It can function as ….

Rectifier ,
Amplifier ,
Switching
And other
operation
s in
electronic
circuits.
A PN junction cannot be produced by simply
pushing two pieces together or by welding
etc…. Because it gives rise to discontinuities
across the crystal structure.

Special fabrication techniques are adopted to

form a P N junction
What is a PN Junction?

A PN junction is a device formed by

joining p-type ( doped with B, Al)
with n-type (doped with P, As, Sb)
semiconductor is called PN Junction
diode or junction diode.
Electronic Symbol …..th e triangle shows
indicated the direction of current

P type N type

Depletion layer forms an

insulator between the 2 sides
Holes from the P side diffuse into the N
side
Free electrons from N side diffuse into the
P side where they combine with holes
This recombination eliminates carriers and
leave behind only immobile ions
This region is thus called depletion region
or space charge region
The depletion layer contains no free and
mobile charge carriers but only fixed and
immobile ions.
Its width depends upon the doping level..

Heavy doped……..thin depletion layer

lightly doped……..thick depletion layer
Formation of potential barrier
• This process continues back and forth until the
number of electrons which have crossed the
junction have a large enough electrical charge to
repel or prevent any more charge carriers from
crossing over the junction.
• Eventually a state of equilibrium (electrically neutral
situation) will occur producing a “potential barrier”
zone around the area of the junction as the donor
atoms repel the holes and the acceptor atoms repel
the electrons.
POTENTIAL BARRIER
 These ions will create an electric field, that produces a
force opposing the further diffusion of charge carriers
 Thus a potential difference is created across the
junction which is called space charge potential or
barrier potential
 Si - 0.7V
 Ge- 0.3 V
PN junction can basically work in two modes, (A
battery is connected to the diode )
forward bias mode ( positive terminal
connected to p-region and negative terminal
connected to n region)

reverse bias mode ( negative terminal

connected to p-region and positive terminal
connected to n region)
Forward biased PN junction
 P region is connected to + terminal
 N region to – terminal
 Holes are repelled from the +ve terminal move
towards the junction
 Similarly electrons are repelled from –ve terminal
move towards junction
 Some of the electrons and holes penetrate the
depletion region and recombine
 So at the junction more carriers are available , so it
can be said depletion region width is reduced.
 W’ <W
 As a result more majority carriers diffuse across the
junction and hence large current flows within the
semiconductor crystal when forward biased
When Forward bias voltage increases,
 width of depletion region reduces
 Barrier potential reduces
 current increases
Reverse biased PN junction
 Reverse biased pn
junction
If the + of the battery is connected to the n-type and the –
terminal to the p-type,

the free electrons and free holes are

attracted back towards the battery, hence
back from the depletion layer, hence the
depletion layer grows.
 P region - -ve terminal
 N region - + ve terminal of the battery
 Holes are attracted towards the –ve terminal
moving away from the junction
 Electrons are attracted towards +ve terminal and
move away from the junction
 So at the junction there are no much carriers
available
 So it can be said that , depletion width is increased
 W” >W
 As width increases, barrier potential also increases
 No majority carriers can diffuse across the junction
 No current flows within the semiconductor crystal

 But due to reverse voltage minority carriers cross

the junction, hence a current flows which is called
reverse saturation current

 Reverse saturation current is very small

 nA(Silicon)
 µA (Germanium)
When reverse bias voltage increases,
 width of depletion region increases
 Barrier potential increases
 No current flows due to majority carriers
 Small current due to minority carriers flow
 The reverse saturation current flows when reverse
biased and it remains constant even though reverse
bias voltage is increased
 It depends only on temperature
 Reverse bias voltage of Ge> that of silicon Why?

 Reverse biased PN junction can be considered to

that of a capacitor ; two PN junctions separated by
depletion region
 Effective capacitance is called depletion
capacitance/ transition capacitance
VOLTAGE –CURRENT (V-I)
CHARACTERISTICS OF PN JUNCTION
DIODE

 We need to know how the device responds

when it is connected in a circuit
 The curve drawn between voltage across the
junction along X axis and current through
the circuits along the Y axis
Forward bias
 When it is in forward bias, no current flows
until the barrier voltage (0.3 v for Ge,0.7V for
Si) is overcome.
 As applied voltage exceeds barrier voltage,
large no of free electrons and holes cross the
junction and current flows in the circuit
 Then the curve has a linear rise and the current
increases, with the increase in forward voltage
like an ordinary conductor.
 The voltage at which current starts to increase
rapidly is called cut in voltage or knee voltage
Above 3 v , the majority carriers passing
the junction gain sufficient energy to
knock out the valence electrons and raise
them to the conduction band.

Therefore , the forward current

increases sharply .
Reverse bias
 With reverse bias,
 potential barrier at the junction increased,
junction resistance increases, and prevents
current flow.
 However , the minority carriers are
accelarated by the reverse voltage resulting a
very small current (REVERSE CURRENT)
 ….in the order of micro amperes.
 When revrese voltage is increased beyond
a value ,called breakdown voltage,the
reverse current increases sharply and
the diode shows almost zero resistance .It
is known breakdown voltage

 Reverse voltage above 25 v destroys the

junction permanentaly.
V –I CHARA OF DIODE
Zener and avalanche
break down
 Occurs in PN junctions which are heavily doped
with narrow depletion region
 When reverse bias increases, Electric field
increases, which causes covalent bonds to break
 E-h pairs are generated
 More carriers are generated and large current flows
Avalanche Break down
 Occurs in lightly doped PN junction with wider
depletion region
 When reverse bias increased, Electric field
increases
 Velocity of minority carriers increased
 They collide with semiconductor atoms
 Covalent bonds break and e-h pairs are generated
 They again get accelerated by electric field, break
more covalent bonds
 Chain reaction occurs resulting in high reverse
current
Thus the P N junction diode
allows the electrons flow
only when P is positive .

This property is used for the

conversion of AC into DC ,Which
is called rectification
Automatic
switch
When the diode is forward bias ,the
switch is CLOSED.

When it is reverse biased , it is OPEN

APPLICATION
S
 rectifiers to convert AC into DC.

 As an switch in computer circuits.

 As detectors in radios to detect

audio signals

 As LED to emit different colours.