Lecture 3

Basic Electronic

Biswajit Pradhan
 Summary of last lectures

Carrier Concentration in intrinsic semiconductors

ni2 = BT 3e − EG kT

Diffusion current density

dp
J D = −qD p
dx
Drift current density
J drift = q ( pµ p + nµ n ) E
Carrier concentration in n - type silicon
nn 0 = N D
pn 0 = ni2 N D
Carrier concentration in p - type silicon
p p0 = N A
n p 0 = ni2 N A
pn-junction without bias

pn-junction forward bias

pn-junction reverse bias

 Diode Charactristics

Shockley’s equation

I D = I S (eVD nVT
− 1)

kT
VT =
q
k= Boltzman constant=1.38*10-23 J/Kelvin
q=1.6*10-19 C

Forward-bias region
(VD > 0 V, ID > 0 mA) I D = I S (e KVD T − 1)

11,600
K=
n

Reverse-bias region n=1 for Ge

(VD < 0 V, ID = –Is ) n=2 for Si below knee voltage
n=1 above knee voltage
 Ge
VT=0.3 V
VZ= ~400V
Temp range=100 C
Si
VT=0.7 V
VZ=~1000V
Temp range = 200 C

The maximum reverse-bias potential that

can be applied before entering the
Zener region is called the peak inverse
voltage (referred to simply as the PIV
rating) or the peak reverse voltage
(denoted by PRV rating).
Comparison of Ge and Si
 Effect of temperature on diode characteristics

The reverse saturation current Is will just about double in magnitude for
every 10°C increase in temperature.
 DC or static resistance

% As the operating point of a diode moves from one region to another the resistance of
the diode will also change due to the nonlinear shape of the characteristic curve.
% The resistance of the diode at the operating point can be found simply by finding the
corresponding levels of VD and ID
% The dc resistance levels at the knee and below will be greater than the resistance
levels obtained for the vertical rise section of the characteristics.
% Higher the current through a diode, the lower is the dc resistance.

VD
RD =
ID

Calculate the DC resistance level for the diode

At a. ID=2mA b. ID= 20mA c. VD= -10V
 AC or Dynamic resistance

 The steeper the slope, the less the value of Vd for the same change in Id and the less the resistance.

 The lower the Q-point of operation (smaller current or lower voltage) the higher the ac resistance.

dI D
=
dVD dV
d
[ (
I s e KVD / T − 1)]
∆Vd
rd = dI D K
∆I d = ( ID + Is )
dVD T
I D >> I s
dI D K
≅ ( ID )
dVD T
K
At room temp. = 38.93
T
dV 0.026 26mV
rD = D = =
dI D ID ID
the dynamic resistance can be found simply by
substituting the quiescent value of the diode
current into the equation
 Total resistance = Junction resistance + resistance of the semiconductor material itself
(called body resistance) + the resistance introduced by the connection between the
semiconductor material + the external metallic conductor (called contact resistance).

0.26mV
rD' = rD + rB = + rB
ID

Average resistance

If the input signal is sufficiently large to produce a broad swing such

as indicated in Fig. the resistance associated with the device
for this region is called the average ac resistance.

As with the dc and ac resistance levels, the lower the level of

currents used to determine the average resistance the higher the
resistance level.

∆Vd
ravg = |pt. to pt.
∆I d
 Diode equivalent circuit

An equivalent circuit is a combination of elements properly chosen to best

represent the actual terminal characteristics of a device, system, or such in a
particular operating region.

Piece wise equivalent circuit

Simplified equivalent circuit

Ideal equivalent circuit

Transition and diffusion capacitance

Reverse recovery time

Diode notation
 SERIES DIODE CONFIGURATIONS WITH DC INPUTS

Assumption: forward resistance is small compared to other series elements of the

network that it is ignored; described by simplified equivalent circuit

Determine the state of the diode

a diode is in the “on” state if the current established by the applied sources
is such that its direction matches that of the arrow in the diode symbol, and
VD > 0.7 V for silicon and VD > 0.3 V for germanium.
Mentally replace the diode with a resistive element and note the resulting current direction
as established by applied voltage.
If a diode is in the “on” state, one can place a 0.7-V drop across the element

VR
VD = VT , VR = E − VT , ID = IR =
R
When the diode is reversed as in the figure below (a). Mentally replace the diode
with a resistive element (b). If the resulting current direction does not match the
arrow in the diode symbol the diode is in the “off” state and resulting in the
equivalent circuit of Fig. (c).
Due to the open circuit, the diode current is 0 A
voltage across the resistor R is the following:
VR = IRR = IDR = (0 A)R = 0 V
Q1: For the series diode configuration of figure below, determine VD, VR, and ID.

Q2: Repeat above problem with the diode reversed.

 Q3: Determine VD, VR, and ID for the series diode configuration given below

Q4: Determine Vo and ID for the series circuit

Q5: Determine ID, VD2, and Vo for the circuit