ESc201 : Introducton to Electronics

Diodes

Dept. of Electrical Engineering

IIT Kanpur

1
Diode
Anode
Cathode

2
PN Junction Diode

P N

Inside a PN junction at equilibrium (zero applied voltage), there

is built-in voltage with N region being positive and P-region
negative.

- - + +
P - - + + N

- - + +
The built-in voltage (also called potential barrier) prevents
electrons and holes to give rise to current. 3
Simplified Picture

4
Extrinsic Semiconductors

Adding small amounts of suitable impurity atom can drastically alter number of
electrons and holes in a semiconductor !

Addition of a group V element impurity to Silicon should increase electrons

while addition of group III element impurity should increase number of
holes
5
Doping

6
N and P-type Semiconductors

N-type : n>p

A Semiconductor such as Silicon doped with a donor impurity such as

Phosphorous or Arsenic from group V of periodic table. The donor impurity
donates an electron to conduction band thereby increasing their concentration

P-type : p>n

A Semiconductor such as Silicon doped with a Acceptor impurity such as Boron

from group III of periodic table. The acceptor impurity increases number of
holes in valence band.

8
 22 3
No. of silicon atoms per unit volume 4 10 cm
~

17 3
Impurity concentration : N A 10 cm

1 in 400,000 Silicon atoms is replaced by Boron

Very small amounts of impurity atoms can cause a drastic change

in electrical property of a semiconductor.

9
Forward and Reverse Bias
P N

V vd

Forward Bias: P is biased at a higher voltage compared to N.

It lowers the built-in potential and allows current to flow.

P N

V
vd
Reverse Bias: N is biased at a higher voltage compared to P.
This increases built-in potential and very little current flows. 11
 0.20
Diode : 1N4001
0.15

0.10
Current (A)

V
0.05 V

0.00

-0.05
Reverse Bias Forward Bias
-0.10

-0.15

-0.20
-2.0 -1.5 -1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0
Voltage (V)

The p-n junction only conducts significant current in the

forward-bias region. 12
Breakdown

13
Diode : I-V Characteristics

Vd

vd
iD  I S  {exp( )  1}
nVT
Is : Reverse Saturation Current
id:diode current; vd: applied voltage

VT  kT / q  26mV at T  300K
n is called ideality factor and is equal to 1 for ideal diodes 14
Forward Bias
P N

vd VT 26mV
vd

vd
iD  I S  {exp( )  1}
VT

vd
iD  I S  exp( )
VT

15
Reverse Bias
P N

vd

vd
iD  I S  {exp( )  1}
VT

vd  vR
vR
iD  I S  {exp(  )  1}  I S
VT

vR VT
16
17
18
Analysis using non-linear diode model is not easy

R
VO = ? VS  I R  VO (1)

I
VS D VO
I  I S  {exp( )  1} (2)
nVT

I
 VO nVT ln(  1) (3)
IS
I
 VS  IR  nVT ln(  1) (4)
IS
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Iterative Method:
I
VS IR  VO (1) VO nVT ln(  1) (3)
IS

Assume VO 0.6V

Calculate VS  VO
I 
R
Re-calculate VO nVT ln(I IS  1)

Convergence:
I

I 20
 1K V
VO = ?
iD  I S  {exp( )  1}
VT
 15
I S  2 10 A
2V D
VT  kT / q  26mV
at T  300K

Assume VO VO = 0.5 VO = 0.711 VO = 0.707

VS  VO
I  I = 1.5 x 10-3 I = 1.289 x 10-3 I = 1.293 x 10-3
R

VO = 0.711 VO = 0.707 VO = 0.707

VO nVT ln(I IS  1)
CONVERGENCE 21
 1K
V
VO = ? iD  I S  {exp( )  1}
VT
I S  2 10  15 A
2V D
VT  kT / q  26mV at T  300K

Assume VO VO = 1.0 VO = 0.7 VO = 0.707

VS  VO
I  I = 1.0 x 10-3 I = 1.3 x 10-3 I = 1.293 x 10-3
R

VO = 0.7 VO = 0.707 VO = 0.707

VO nVT ln(I IS  1)

CONVERGENCE to the same Result 22

Graphical Method: Method of Load Line
R
VO
I

VS D VS/R
solution

VS  I R  VO
VS  VO VS VO
 I 
R
VO
I  I S  {exp( )  1}
nVT
23
How about something that is

simple & easy to work with

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•Analysis using a non-linear diode model is relatively difficult and
time consuming.

•It also does not give a symbolic expression that can provide
insight and help in the design of the circuit. 0.20
Diode : 1N4001
0.15

Need SIMPLER and LINEAR Device Models 0.10

0.05 V

Current (A)
V

0.00

-0.05

-0.10

-0.15

-0.20
-2.0 -1.5 -1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

V rf
Voltage (V)

V > V

V < V
open circuit 25
 I Piece-Wise Linear Model

I 0
r f 1  V V  I r f
V  V
Slope = 1/rf

Vγ V
V rf
V > V

V < V
open circuit
Vγ is called cut-in or turn-on voltage and depends on nature of
diode and range of current considered
For most of our analysis, we will take Vγ = 0.7V and rf ~10Ω 26
Even Simpler Diode Models
V rf
V > V
I
V < V
open circuit

V V

Constant voltage drop model

V
I
V > V

V < V
open circuit V 27
V
Even Simpler Diode Models

Ideal diode model

V
V
28
Diode Models vd
iD  I S  {exp( )  1}
VT
I

+ vd -

V rf
V > V

V < V
Simplicity
open circuit

V
Accuracy
V > V

V < V
open circuit

V>0

V<0
open circuit
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Analysis using ideal diode model
1K
V>0

V<0

10V D open circuit

1K

10V D

10
I  10mA
1k 30
Analysis with a constant voltage diode model
1K
0.7V
V > 0.7

V < 0.7
10V D open circuit

1K

10V 0.7V

10  0.7
I 9.3mA
1k 31
Analysis with a constant voltage plus resistor
diode model
1K
V rf
V > V

10V D V < V
open circuit

10  0.7
I 9.208mA
1000  10

32
Example 10V

Find the current

through the diode
using ideal diode
model 5K D 5K
2mA

Is the diode forward biased? – Not Sure!!

Assume that it is forward biased 

Carry out analysis and then check if current through the diode is in
appropriate direction.

If not, diode is reverse biased and we carry out the analysis

again!! 33
Example 10V

Assume forward bias

2mA 5K D 5K

10V
 10
 2mA   iD 0
5K

iD 4mA
iD
2mA 5K

Current is positive, so our

assumption is correct 34
Example Find the current through the 5K resistor using ideal
diode model

10V

Assume forward bias

2mA 4K
5K D 5K

10V

2mA 4K
5K D 5K

35
 10V

 10
4K iD  2mA   iD 0
2mA 5K 5K

iD  4 mA

10V
This is not possible.

Therefore, our assumption

is incorrect 2mA 5K
4K D 5K

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 10V

2mA 4K
5K D 5K

Assume reverse bias

V1 V1  10 10V
 2mA   0
5k 5k
V1 V2
V1 0
4K
5K 5K
V2 10V 2mA

37