DIODE CHARACTERISTICS

PN JUNCTION (SEMICONDUCTOR) DIOD CHARACTERISTICS

AIM :- To plot Volt-Ampere Characteristics of P-N Junction Diode.
MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT :- Multimeter- 2 NO. ; Connecting ires!
Diode and "ener characteristics trainer #it$ Assorted %esistors &'().
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM :-
DESCRIPTION :-
Donor impurities *penta+alent, are introduced into one-side and acceptor
impurities into the other side of a single cr-stal of an intrinsic semiconductor to
form a p-n diode .ith a /unction called depletion region *this region is depleted o0
the charge carriers,. This region gi+es rise to a potential 1arrier V2 called Cut- in
Volt!". This is the +oltage across the diode at .hich it starts conducting. The P-N
/unction can conduct 1e-ond this Potential. The P-N /unction supports uni-
directional current 3o.. 4f 5+e terminal of the input suppl- is connected to anode
*P-side, and 6+e terminal of the input suppl- is connected to cathode *N- side,$
then diode is said to 1e for.ard 1iased. 4n this condition the height of the potential
1arrier at the /unction is lo.ered 1- an amount e7ual to gi+en for.ard 1iasing
+oltage. 8oth the holes from p-side and electrons from n-side cross the /unction
simultaneousl- and constitute a for.ard current * in#"$t"% &ino'it( $u''"nt 6
due to holes crossing the /unction and entering N-side of the diode$ due to
electrons crossing the /unction and entering P-side of the diode,.
Assuming current 3o.ing through the diode to 1e +er- large$ the diode can
1e appro9imated as short-circuited s.itch. 4f 6+e terminal of the input suppl- is 2
connected to anode *p-side, and 5+e terminal of the input suppl- is connected to
cathode *n-side, then the diode is said to 1e re+erse 1iased. 4n this condition an
amount e7ual to re+erse 1iasing +oltage increases the height of the potential
1arrier at the /unction. 8oth the holes on p-side and electrons on n-side tend to
mo+e a.a- from the /unction there1- increasing the depleted region. :o.e+er the
process cannot continue inde;nitel-$ thus a small current called '")"'*"
*tu'tion $u''"nt continues to 3o. in the diode. This small current is due to
thermall- generated carriers. Assuming current 3o.ing through the diode to 1e
negligi1le$ the diode can 1e appro9imated as an open circuited s.itch. The +olt-
ampere characteristics of a diode e9plained 1- follo.ing e7uation<
4 = 4o*>9p*V? @VT,-A,
4=current 3o.ing in the diode
4o=re+erse saturation current
V=+oltage applied to the diode
VT=+olt-e7ui+alent of temperature=#T?7=T?AA$'((=2'mV*B room temp,.
@=A *for Ce, and 2 *for Di,
4t is o1ser+ed that Ce diode has smaller cut-in-+oltage .hen compared to Di diode.
The re+erse saturation current in Ce diode is larger in magnitude .hen compared
to silicon diode.
+o','% -i* R")"'*" -i*
PROCEDURE :-
+o','% -i*"% Con%ition:
A. Connect the PN Junction diode in for.ard 1ias i.e. Anode is connected to
positi+e of the po.er suppl- and cathode is connected to negati+e of the po.er
suppl-.
2. Ese a %egulated po.er suppl- of range *(-F(,V and a series resistance of A#G.
F. Hor +arious +alues of for.ard +oltage *Vf, note do.n the corresponding +alues
of for.ard current*4f,.
R")"'*" .i*"% $on%ition:
A. Connect the PN Junction diode in %e+erse 1ias i.e! anode is connected to
negati+e of the po.er suppl- and cathode is connected to positi+e of the po.er
suppl-.
2. Hor +arious +alues of re+erse +oltage *Vr , note do.n the corresponding +alues
of re+erse current * 4r ,.
O-SERVATIONS:-
+o','% -i*: R")"'*" -i*:
S/
No
V'
()olt*)
I'
(0A)
G'12:
Cl$ultion* 3'o& G'12:
Dtatic for.ard %esistance %dc = Vf?4f I
D-namic for.ard %esistance rac = JVf?J4f I
Dtatic %e+erse %esistance %dc =Vr?4r I
D-namic %e+erse %esistance rac = JVr?J4r I
RESULT:-
Thus the V4 characteristics of PN /unction diode is +eri;ed.
S/
No
V
3
()olt*)
I
3
(&A)

P
I
+
-
A
C

V
+
N
V
V
4
M

+o','%
Cu''"nt
I+ (&A)
Volt!"
(V)

C

R")/ Volt!" VR
V
-R
REVERS
E
IR
(5A)
+OR6ORD
A. Cut in +oltage = KKK V
2. Dtatic for.ard resistance = KKK. I
F. D-namic for.ard resistance = KKK. I
7ENER DIODE CHARACTERISTICS
AIM :- To plot Volt-Ampere characteristics of "ener diode. L ;nd "ener 1rea#
do.n +oltage in re+erse 1iased condition.
MATERIAL 8 EQUIPMENT :- Multimeter- 2 No.$ connecting .ires! Diode and
"ener characteristics trainer #it$ Assorted %esistors FF().
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM :-
DISCRIPTION :-
A 7"n"' Dio%" is a special #ind of diode .hich permits current to 3o. in the
for.ard direction as normal$ 1ut .ill also allo. it to 3o. in the re+erse direction
.hen the +oltage is a1o+e a certain +alue - the .'"9%o,n )olt!" #no.n as the
7"n"' )olt!".


The 7"n"' )olt!" of a standard diode is high$ 1ut if a re+erse current
a1o+e that +alue is allo.ed to pass through it$ the diode is permanentl- damaged.
7"n"' %io%"* are designed so that their Mener +oltage is much lo.er - for
e9ample /ust 2.N Volts. hen a re+erse current a1o+e the "ener +oltage passes
through a "ener diode$ there is a controlled 1rea#do.n .hich does not damage the
diode. The +oltage drop across the "ener diode is e7ual to the "ener +oltage of
that diode no matter ho. high the re+erse 1ias +oltage is a1o+e the "ener +oltage.
The illustration a1o+e sho.s this phenomenon in a Current +s. Voltage graph.
ith a Mener diode connected in the for.ard direction$ it 1eha+es e9actl- the same
as a standard %io%" - i.e. a small +oltage drop of (.F to (.OV .ith current 3o.ing
through prett- much unrestricted. 4n the re+erse direction ho.e+er there is a +er-
small lea#age current 1et.een (V and the "ener +oltage - i.e. /ust a tin- amount of
current is a1le to 3o.. Then$ .hen the +oltage reaches the .'"9%o,n )olt!"
*VM,$ suddenl- current can 3o. freel- through it.
U*"* o3 7"n"' Dio%"*
Dince the +oltage dropped across a 7"n"' Dio%"
is a #no.n and ;9ed +alue$ "ener diodes are t-picall-
used to regulate the +oltage in electric circuits. Esing a
'"*i*to' to ensure that the current passing through the
"ener diode is at least &mA *(.((& Amps,$ the circuit
designer #no.s that the +oltage drop across the diode is e9actl- e7ual to the
7"n"' )olt!" of the diode.
7"n"' Dio%" Volt!" R"!ulto' Ci'$uit :-
A :"n"' %io%" can 1e used to ma#e a simple )olt!" '"!ultion circuit as
pictured a1o+e. The output +oltage is ;9ed at the Mener +oltage of the Mener diode
used and so can 1e used to po.er de+ices re7uiring a ;9ed +oltage.
PROCEDURE :-
A. D.itch PONQ the po.er suppl- of the #it.
2. Det up the e9perimental #it OR 4dentif- the components re7uired.
F. Connect the +oltmeter$ ammeter *mA$ RA, as sho.n in circuit diagram for
Mener diode in for.ard 1iasing mode OR Ma#e the
connections as per circuit diagram.
N. 4ncrease applied +oltage graduall- 1e +ar-ing #no1 on circuit pannel.
&. Note do.n +oltmeter and ammeter readings.
'. %epeat steps 2 to N for re+erse 1ias mode.
O. %epeat steps 2 to N for "ener diode .hen for.ard and re+erse 1iased.
S. Ta1ulate the o1ser+ations and plot the graphs for diode and "ener diode
separatel-.
GRAPHS :-
.T Plot characteristics for VH ? 4H and V" ? 4" for "ener diode.
O-SERVATION TA-LE :-
S/No
/
7"n"' 3o','% .i*
$2'$t"'i*ti$*
7"n"' '")"'*" .i*
$2'$t"'i*ti$*
;/ Vf * Volt , 4f * mA , Vi * Volt , VM * Volt , 4M * mA ,
</
=/
>/
?/
RESULT :-
Hor Mener diode after re+erse 1rea#do.n .ith increase in current through it$
the +oltage across it KKKK..KKK..*remains constant?+aries, .ith current.
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