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Semiconductor diode construction Diode operation
No bias Reverse bias Forward bias
Diodes
EE 21-Fundamentals of Electronics
Semiconductor Diode
A two-terminal device Most basic of all semiconductor devices Used in rectification (AC to DC) Switching circuits Voltage Regulation LEDs
Minority Carrier
Diode Operation
Three options of operation: No-bias, Forward bias, and Reverse bias Bias refers to the application of an external voltage across the two terminals of a device to extract a response
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Avalanche Region
Point in reverse bias region where the diode breaks down Reverse current sharply increases due to KE of minority carriers (how??)
Temperature Effects
Reverse saturation current doubles per 10oC increase (despite increasing breakdown V*) In general: increasing T = more ideal forward characteristics (but wait)
Example
Determine the DC resistance for the diode at (a) ID = 2 mA (b) ID = 20 mA (c) VD = -10 V Answers: (a) 250 (b) 40 (c) 10 M
RD
VD ID
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AC or Dynamic Resistance
AC operation (i.e. sinusoidal input) Operating point moves along the curve Q-point occurs on absence of the varying signal. Q: Quiescent, meaning still or unvarying
AC or Dynamic Resistance
rD
Vd I d
In general, the lower the Q-point of operation, the higher the AC resistance.
Example
Determine the dynamic resistance at: (a) ID = 2mA (b) ID = 25 mA (c) Compare them with the DC resistances at the given ID levels.
we arrive at
Body resistance
Additional resistance introduced by the connection b/w semiconductor material and the external contacts 0.1 for high-power devices to 2 for general-purpose diodes
dVD nV rd T dI D ID
Substituting n=1 and a standard thermal voltage of 26 volts gives us:
rd
26mV ID
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Average AC resistance
Resistance determined by a straight line drawn b/w the range of input voltages desired. In equation form:
rav
Vd I d
pt .to . pt .
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Transition capacitance
Significant at the reverse-bias region due to wide depletion region Recall the parallel-plate capacitance:
d can be found in the width of the depletion region of the diode. Is used by special diodes called Varactor or Varicap diodes.
C A / d
Diffusion Capacitance
Dependent on the rate at which charge is injected into the regions just outside the depletion region Rate of change of charge = current Increased current = increased levels of diffusion capacitance
t rr t s tt
Where ts storage time (carriers still unable to return to their nonconducting states) tt transition interval (as carriers return to their nonconducting states)