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Special Types of Diodes

Rey Manuel Valencia

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Special Types of Diodes


There are a number of two-terminal devices having a single p-n junction like the semiconductor or Zener diode but with different modes of operation, terminal characteristics, and areas of application. Some of them are the following: a. Schottky Diodes b. Varactor Diodes c. Photo Diodes d. Light Emitting Diodes

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Special Types of Diodes SCHOTTKY DIODES

Schottky Diodes
a two terminal device that is commonly referred to as surface-barrier or hot carrier diodes Its areas of application were first limited to the very high frequency range due to its quick response time and a lower noise figure.

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Special Types of Diodes SCHOTTKY DIODES

Schottky Diodes
In recent years, however, it is appearing more and more in low-voltage/high-current power supplies and ac-to-dc converters. Other areas of application of the device include radar systems, Schottky TTL logic for computers, mixers and detectors in communication equipment, instrumentation, and analog-to-digital converters.

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Special Types of Diodes SCHOTTKY DIODES


Comparison of characteristics of hot carrier and PN junction diodes

Symbol

Equivalent Symbol

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Special Types of Diodes VARACTOR DIODES

Varactor Diodes
also called varicap, VVC (voltage-variable capacitance), or tuning. Semiconductor diodes that are voltage-dependent, variable capacitors. Their mode of operation depends on the capacitance that exists at the p-n junction when the element is reverse biased. Under reverse-bias conditions, it was established that there is a region of uncovered charge on either side of the junction that together the regions make up the depletion region and define the depletion width Wd. The transition capacitance (CT) established by the isolated uncovered charges is determined by the formula:
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Special Types of Diodes VARACTOR DIODES

Varicap diode: (a) equivalent circuit in the reverse-bias region; (b) symbols.

Varicap characteristics: C(pF) versus VR

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Special Types of Diodes TUNNEL DIODES

Tunnel Diodes
It was first introduced by Leo Esaki in 1958. Its characteristics are different from any diode discussed thus far in that it has a negative resistance region. In this region, an increase in terminal voltage results in a reduction in diode current. The tunnel diode is fabricated by doping the semiconductor materials that will form the p-n junction at a level one hundred to several thousand times that of a typical semiconductor diode.

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Special Types of Diodes TUNNEL DIODES

Tunnel diode: (a) equivalent circuit; (b) symbols.

Tunnel diode characteristics.

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Special Types of Diodes PHOTODIODES

Photodiodes
The interest in light-sensitive devices has been increasing at an almost exponential rate in recent years. The resulting field of optoelectronics will be receiving a great deal of research interest as efforts are made to improve efficiency levels. Through the advertising media, people has become quite aware that light sources offer a unique source of energy. This energy, transmitted as discrete packages called photons, has a level directly related to the frequency of the traveling light wave as determined by the following equation:
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Special Types of Diodes PHOTODIODES

Photodiodes
W = hf joules
where h is called Plancks constant and is equal to 6.624 x10^-34 joule-second. It clearly states that since h is a constant, the energy associated with incident light waves is directly related to the frequency of the traveling wave.

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Special Types of Diodes PHOTODIODES

Photodiodes
The wavelength is usually measured in angstrom units () or micrometers (m). The wavelength is important because it will determine the material to be used in the optoelectronic device. The relative spectral response for Ge, Si, and selenium is provided in the figure below. The number of free electrons generated in each material is proportional to the intensity of the incident light. Light intensity is a measure of the amount of luminous flux falling in a particular surface area. Luminous flux is normally measured in lumens (lm) or watts. The light intensity is normally measured in lm/ft2, footcandles (fc), or W/m

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Special Types of Diodes PHOTODIODES

Photodiodes
Unit Conversion
1 lm = 1.496 x10^-10 W 1 lm/ft^2 =1 footcandles= 1.609 x10-9 W/m2

The photodiode is a semiconductor p-n junction device whose region of operation is limited to the reverse-bias region. The application of light to the junction will result in a transfer of energy from the incident traveling light waves (in the form of photons) to Photodiode: (a) basic the atomic structure, resulting in an increased biasing arrangement and number of minority carriers and an increased construction; (b) symbol. level of reverse current.
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Special Types of Diodes PHOTODIODES

The dark current is that current that will exist with no applied illumination. Note that the current will only return to zero with a positive applied bias equal to VT. Another component that responds to light is the photoconductive cell, whose terminal resistance will vary (linearly) with the intensity of the incident light. For obvious reasons, it is frequently called a photoresistive device.

Photodiode characteristics.

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Special Types of Diodes PHOTODIODES


Applications of Photodiodes

Using a photodiode in a counter operation. Using a photodiode in an alarm system. In the first figure , the photodiode is employed in an alarm system. The reverse current Iwill continue to flow as long as the light beam is not broken. If interrupted, I tdrops to the dark current level and sounds the alarm. In the next figure, a photodiode is used to count items on a conveyor belt. As each item passes the light beam is broken, Current drops to the dark current level and the counter is increased by one.

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Special Types of Diodes LED The increasing use of digital displays in calculators, watches, and all forms of instrumentation has contributed to the current extensive interest in structures that will emit light when properly biased. The two types in common use today to perform this function are the light-emitting diode (LED) and the liquid-crystal display (LCD). As the name implies, the light-emitting diode (LED) is a diode that will give off visible light when it is energized. In any forward-biased p-n junction there is, within the structure and primarily close to the junction, a recombination of holes and electrons.

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Special Types of Diodes LED This recombination requires that the energy possessed by the unbound free electron be transferred to another state. In all semiconductor p-n junctions some of this energy will be given off as heat and some in the form of photons. In silicon and germanium the greater percentage is given up in the form of heat and the emitted light is insignificant. In other materials, such as gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP) or gallium phosphide (GaP), the number of photons of light energy emitted is sufficient to create a very visible light source.

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Special Types of Diodes LED


The process of giving off light by applying an electrical source of energy is called electroluminescence.

(a) Process of electroluminescence in the LED; (b) graphic symbol.

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Special Types of Diodes LED


Color Red Orange Yellow Amber Green Construction GaAsP GaAsP AlInGaP AlInGaP GaP Forward Voltage

White
Blue

GaN
GaN/SiC

1.8 V 2.0 V 2.1 V 2.1 V 2.2 V 4.1 V 5.0 V

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