PN-JUNCTION DIODE CHARACTERISTICS

Mhlanga S 23721804 and Dlamini L.S 23772727 Experiment Done 22/ 07/ 2013

ABSTRACT An experiment to st d! the "hara"teristi"s o# a diode is presented. A 1$4001 and a %ener diode are sed d ring this experiment. &t is #o nd that the 1$4001 diode onl! "ond "ts 'hen it is #or'ard (ias and it does not "ond "t in the re)erse dire"tion. *he %ener diode ho'e)er+ "ond "ts (oth 'hen it is #or'ard or re)erse (ias. A %ener (rea,do'n )oltage o# 0.7 - is re. ired #or it to "ond "t in the re)erse dire"tion. Slight de)iations (et'een res lts are li,el! "a sed (! internal resistan"e o# the e. ipment sed and the %ener diode approximate model. *he hal# 'a)e re"ti#ier sim lated and experimental res lts sho' that the diode "ond "ts d ring the positi)e hal# "!"le and "on)erts an A/ to a D/ signal. Experimental and sim lated res lts are #o nd to (e in good agreement.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. 2

INTRODUCTION

2. THEORY.. .3,4 3. PROCEDURE.. .4,6 4. 5. CONCLUSION.9 6. REFERENCES.10 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION..7,9

1.

INTRODUCTION

*he aim o# this experiment is to in)estigate the "hara"teristi"s o# the diode. *he "hara"teristi"s o# the " rrent0)oltage+ re"ti#i"ation properties and %ener diode are st died. &n ele"troni"s+ a diode is a t'o0terminal ele"troni" "omponent 'ith as!mmetri" "ond "tan"e+ it has lo' 1ideall! 2ero3 resistan"e to " rrent #lo' in one dire"tion+ and high 1ideall! in#inite3 resistan"e in the other. A semi"ond "tor diode+ the most "ommon t!pe toda!+ is a "r!stalline pie"e o# semi"ond "tor material 'ith a p4n 5 n"tion "onne"ted to t'o ele"tri"al terminals. A )a" m t (e diode has t'o ele"trodes+ a plate 1anode3 and a heated "athode. *he most "ommon # n"tion o# a diode is to allo' an ele"tri" " rrent to pass in one dire"tion 1"alled the diode6s #or'ard dire"tion3+ 'hile (lo",ing " rrent in the opposite dire"tion 1the re)erse dire"tion3. *h s+ the diode "an (e )ie'ed as an ele"troni" )ersion o# a "he", )al)e. *his nidire"tional (eha)ior is "alled re"ti#i"ation+ and is sed to "on)ert alternating " rrent to dire"t " rrent+ in"l ding extra"tion o# mod lation #rom radio signals in radio re"ei)ers7these diodes are #orms o# re"ti#iers. 819

2.

THEORY

*he diode+ 'hi"h is sed in ele"troni" "ir" its+ is s all! a germani m or a sili"on "r!stal+ 'hi"h has (een doped 'ith imp rities. *here are t'o t!pes o# imp rities sed: the n0t!pe and the p0t!pe. *he "r!stals doped 'ith the n0t!pe imp rities "ontain ele"trons that are #ree to mo)e in the "r!stal 'hile on the other hand+ the "r!stals that are doped 'ith the p0t!pe imp rities "ontain a shortage o# ele"trons "alled positi)e ;holes<. *hese holes are also #ree to mo)e in the "r!stal. A 5 n"tion diode "onsists o# a =$ 5 n"tion+ 'here the n0t!pe and the p0t!pe semi"ond "tor regions are ad5a"ent as sho'n in #ig.1 (elo'.

Fig.2.1: A p0n 5 n"tion *he p0side o# the diode is "alled the anode and the n0side is "alled the "athode. A diode "an (e either a re"ti#ier or a %ener diode. *he #a"tor 'hi"h determines 'hether a diode is a re"ti#ier or a %ener is the relati)e "on"entration o# the imp rit! atoms. *he di##eren"e (et'een the %ener diode and the re"ti#ier diode is that+ the re"ti#ier diode o##ers )irt all! 2ero resistan"e 'hen it is #or'ard (iased and in#inite resistan"e 'hen it is re)ersed (iased. *he %ener diode on the other hand+ pro)ides nearl! in#inite resistan"e o)er a range o# positi)e and negati)e potential di##eren"es. >n either side o# this range+ the )oltage drop a"ross the diode is nearl! "onstant no matter 'hat the " rrent is.

Fig.2.2: re"ti#ier diode

Fig.2.3: %ener diode

*he s"hemati" s!m(ols #or the t'o ,inds o# diodes that are o# the =$ 5 n"tion t!pe are sho'n in #ig.2 and #ig.3. ?hen the diode is #or'ard (iased 1p0side (eing at a higher potential than the n0side3+ the 5 n"tion exhi(its a )er! small resistan"e to " rrent #lo'. A resistor is p t in series 'ith the diode+ to prote"t it #rom ex"essi)e " rrent 'hi"h 'o ld "a se it to ( rn o t. ?hen a diode is re)ersed (iased 1p0side (eing at a lo'er )oltage than the n0side3+the 5 n"tion exhi(its a larger resistan"e and )er! little " rrent #lo's. *his is the "ase ntil the re)erse (ias )oltage rea"hes a "ertain (rea,do'n )al e. *he (asi" di##eren"e (et'een the re"ti#ier and the 2ener is that the re"ti#ier is destro!ed i# the re)erse (rea,do'n )oltage is rea"hed 'hi"h is "alled the ;a)alan"he (rea,do'n<+ 'hile >n the other hand the %ener is not destro!ed 1"alled the ;%ener (rea,do'n<3.

R1 1k

R1 1k

Fig.2.4: @or'ard (ias

Fig.2.5: Ae)erse (ias

*he relationship (et'een the diode " rrent and the )oltage is gi)en (! the diode e. ation 'hi"h is gi)en (!:
( qVd

I D = I R [e

nkT

1]

113

E. ation 1 gi)es a relationship (et'een the diode " rrent and the )oltage 'here & D is the diode " rrent in amperes+ -D is the )oltage a"ross the diode in )olts+ &S is the re)erse sat ration " rrent or the re)erse lea,age " rrent in amperes and n is the idealit! #a"tor or the emission "oe##i"ient. 829

3.

PROCEDURE

3.1 1$4001 diode @irst+ a m ltimeter "he", o# the diode 'as done (! sing the m ltimeter to "on#irm the polarit! o# the re"ti#ier diode. *his diode test 'as also done (! sing the %ener diode. &t 'as #o nd that the %ener diode "o ld "ond "t (oth 'hen #or'ard and re)erse (iased. *he re"ti#ier diode on the other hand "o ld onl! "ond "t d ring #or'ard (iasing. A "ir" it 'ith a re"ti#ier diode 'as "onne"ted as sho'n in @ig.3.1+ so as to tr! to meas re the " rrent in the "ir" it 'hen the )oltage drop a"ross the diode 'as )aried (et'een 2030 )olts. *he res lts 'ere noted do'n.

R1 1k

A A

AB 2C0D

V 4

=o'er s ppl! @ig.3.1: Experimental set p #or re)erse (iasing a re"ti#ier diode .

Another "ir" it 'as "onne"ted as sho'n in @ig.3.2+ 'here a digital meter 'as sed to meas re the )oltage drop a"ross the resistor and also to meas re the " rrent #lo' thro gh the diode 'hen the " rrent 'as ranged (et'een 0.1080 mA. *he res lts 'ere noted do'n.
R1 1k

A
=o'er s ppl!

AB 2C0D

@ig.3.2: Experimental set p #or #or'ard (iasing a re"ti#ier diode. 3.2 %ener Diode *herea#ter+ a "ir" it 'ith the %ener diode 'as "onne"ted as sho'n in @ig.3.3. *he meas rements o# the " rrent )ers s the )oltage #or the re)erse diode 'ere noted do'n. R1 1k

A
=o'er s ppl!

AB 2C0D

@ig.3.3: Experimental set p #or re)erse (iasing a %ener diode. Another "ir" it 'as "onne"ted as sho'n in @ig.3.4+ so as to meas re the " rrent )ers s )oltage #or the #or'ard (iased %ener diode. *he readings 'ere noted do'n as 'ell. R1 1k

AB 2C0D

=o'er s ppl!

@ig.3.4: Experimental set p #or #or'ard (iasing a %ener diode.

A " rrent 1&3 )ers s )oltage 1-3 graph 'as then plotted (! sing the data #or (oth the re)erse and #or'ard (iased diode (! sing >rigin "omp ter program. *herea#ter+ a sim lation "omp ter program 1"ir" it ma,er3+ 'as sed to sim late the "ir" its sho'n #rom @ig.3.1 to @ig 3.4 and the res lts #or (oth experimental and sim lated 'ere then "ompered.

3.3 Eal# 'a)e re"ti#ier @or the hal#0'a)e re"ti#i"ation+ the signal generator 'as set to prod "e a 10- pea, to pea, )oltage sin soidal 'a)e o# 1 ,E2 #re. en"! sing an os"illos"ope. *he pro(es 'ere "onne"ted to ea"h end o# the re"ti#ier diode "ir" it. *he os"illos"ope 'as then sed to o(ser)e the )oltage (eha)ior.
D2 DIODE

V1 -5/5V R1 180

1kHz

@ig.3.C Experimental set p #or a hal#0'a)e re"ti#ier 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1. *he re"ti#ier diode. Gra ! "# $%rr&'( )ID* +&r,%, +"-(ag& ).D* "# &/ &ri0&'(a- a'1 ,i0%-a(&1 #"r (!& r&$(i#i&r 1i"1&

@ig.4.1. Fraph o# " rrent 1&D3 )ers s )oltage 1-D3 o# experimental and sim lated #or the re"ti#ier diode @ig.4.1+ sho's a graph o# " rrent 1&D3 )ers s )oltage 1-D3 o# experimental and sim lated #or the re"ti#ier diode. *he " rrent #or (oth the experimental and sim lated res lts onl! starts to sho' a#ter the )oltage reading 'as a(o t 0.37- ho'e)er+ (e#ore that reading+ there 'asnGt an! " rrent reading. @or (oth experimental and sim lated graph+ it 'as noted that the " rrent started to sho' a signi#i"ant in"rease 'hen the )oltage reading 'as a(o t 0.H-. *he experimented and sim lated 'ere seen (e in good agreement 'ith ea"h other sin"e there is little di##eren"e (et'een the t'o. Slight de)iations (et'een the t'o graphs might ha)e (e d e to internal resistan"e in the e. ipment sed.

4.2. *he %ener diode.

Gra ! "# $%rr&'( )ID* +&r,%, +"-(ag& ).D* "# &/ &ri0&'(a- r&,%-(, #"r (!& 2&'&r 1i"1&

@ig.4.2: Fraph o# " rrent 1&D3 )ers s )oltage 1-D3 o# experimental res lts #or the %ener diode plotted sing >rigin.

@ig.4.2+ sho's Fraph o# " rrent 1&D3 )ers s )oltage 1-D3 o# experimental res lts #or the %ener diode plotted sing >rigin. Eere+ the %ener diode pro)ed that e)en i# the polarit! is negated+ it "an still allo' " rrent #lo' as seen in the graph+ 'here (et'een the )oltage readings o# a(o t 014.2- to 012-+ the " rrent reading #ell (et'een 00.07mA and 0.00mA. Eo'e)er &t 'as noted that (et'een the )oltage readings o# 012- and 1-+ the " rrent reading 'as as 0.00mA. A#ter the )oltage reading o# 1-+ the " rrent sho'ed a signi#i"ant in"rease. Slight errors might ha)e (een "a sed (! the %ener diode approximate model.

4.3 Eal#0'a)e re"ti#ier Ha-#34a+& r&$(i#i&r ,i0%-a(&1 gra ! ,!"4i'g .i' a'1 ."%(

@ig 4.3 Eal#4'a)e re"ti#ier sim lated graph sho'ing - in and -o

plotted sing >rigin.

&n the hal#0'a)e re"ti#ier "ir" it in #ig. 4.3 + the diode is #or'ard (iased d ring the positi)e hal#0"!"le #rom 0 to 0.C o# the inp t )oltage - in and so " rrent #lo's thro gh the diode and the resistor 'here it de)elops an o tp t )oltage drop -o t B -in 4 -D. 5. CONCLUSION

. An experiment to st d! the "hara"teristi"s o# a diode 'as presented. A 1$4001 and a %ener diode 'ere sed d ring this experiment. &t 'as #o nd that the 1$4001 diode onl! "ond "ted 'hen it 'as #or'ard (ias and it did not "ond "t in the re)erse dire"tion. *he %ener diode ho'e)er+ "ond "ted (oth 'hen it 'as #or'ard or re)erse (ias. A %ener (rea,do'n )oltage o# 0.7 - 'as re. ired #or it to "ond "t in the re)erse dire"tion. Slight de)iations (et'een res lts 'ere li,el! "a sed (! internal resistan"e o# the e. ipment sed and the %ener diode approximate model. *he hal# 'a)e re"ti#ier sim lated and experimental res lts sho'ed that the diode "ond "ted d ring the positi)e hal# "!"le and "on)erted an A/ to a D/ signal. Experimental and sim lated res lts 'ere #o nd to (e in good agreement.

5.

REFERENCES

819 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diode 829 *heor! and /ir" it dra'ings ta,en #rom Ele"troni"s La(orator! Man al "ompiled (! A. Ma'ire. 3. http://'''.#a"sta##.( ",nell.ed /mastas" /elessonsE*ML/Diodes/Diode1.html

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