Submitted by

Santosh kumar
Reg no-18BEC0243
School-sense
Slot-c1+tc1
AIM
1. To plot the volt-ampere characteristics of silicon P-N junction diode.
2. To find cut-in voltage, static and dynamic resistances in both forward and reverse biased
conditions for the P-N diode.

COMPONENTS REQUIRED
1. PN Junction Diode 1N4007 (1)

2. Resistor 330 Ω

3. Voltmeter (0-30)V, (0-3)V

4. Ammeter (0-30)mA, (0-500)µA

5. Bread board

6. Connecting wires
a negative ion. Initially, there are only n-type carriers to the right of the junction and only p-type
carriers to the left. Because there is a density gradient across the junction, holes will diffuse to
the right across the junction, and electrons to the left.
As a result of the displacement of these charges, an electric field appears across the junction.
Equilibrium is established when the field becomes large enough to restrain the process of
diffusion. The positive holes which neutralize the acceptor ions near the junction in p-type
germanium disappear as a result of combination with electrons which diffuse across the
junction. Similarly, the neutralizing electrons on the n side of the junction combine with holes
which cross the junction from the p side. Since the region of the junction is depleted of mobile
charges, it is called the depletion region, or a potential barrier.

Forward Bias: An external voltage applied to the p-n junction with the polarity shown in Fig 1.2
is known as forward bias. The height of the potential barrier at the junction is lowered by the
applied forward voltage. In other words we can say that p-n junction diode is connected to an
external battery in such a way that depletion region is reduced in size or eliminated altogether.
The positive terminal of the battery repels the holes on the p-side and pushes them towards the
junction. The negative terminal of the battery repels the electrons and pushes them towards the
junction. This collapses the depletion region. With the depletion region gone, the diode can
conduct.
Reverse bias: An external voltage applied with polarity in Fig 1.3 is called reverse bias. When
reverse bias is applied to a junction diode the depletion region does not collapse. On the
contrary, it becomes wider. The positive side of battery is applied to the n-type material. This
attracts the free electrons away from the junction. The negative side of the battery attracts the
holes in p-type material away from the junction. This makes the depletion region wider than it
was when no voltage is applied. The depletion region is an insulator, and it will block the flow of
current. Actually a small current will flow because of minority carriers. The p-type material has a
few minority electrons. These are pushed to the junction by the repulsion of the negative side of
the battery. The n-type material has few minority holes. These are also pushed towards the
junction. Reverse bias forces the minority carriers together, and a small current - called leakage
current - results.

Characteristic curves of diode: The V-I Characteristic curves for typical p-n junction diode is
shown in figure. It is seen that the curve is not linear. With 0 V across the diode, the diode will
not conduct, the diode will not begin to conduct until a few tenths of a volt are applied across it.
This is the voltage needed to overcome the potential barrier. It requires about 0.2 V to turn on a
germanium diode and about 0.6 V to turn on a silicon diode. It also shows what happens when
reverse bias is applied to a diode. At increasing levels of reverse voltage, the curve shows some
reverse current. This leakage current is caused by minority carries. It is usually very small.
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
Forward Bias:

Reverse Bias:
PROCEDURE
Forward Bias:
1. Make the connections as shown in diagram.
2. Vary the voltage in small steps; note down the corresponding values of current.
3. After cut-in voltage the current increases rapidly. Now vary the current in small steps (say, 1
or 2 mA) and note down the corresponding voltage values.

Reverse bias:
1. Make the connections as shown in diagram
2. Vary the voltage in steps of 1 volt and note down the corresponding values of current in
Table. Take about ten readings.
TABULATION
Forward Bias:

s.no Applied voltage(v) Forward voltage(v) Forward

current(ma)
1 0.1 0.20 0
2 0.2 0.25 0
3 0.3 0.30 0
4 0.4 0.40 0
5 0.5 0.45 0.5
6 0.6 0.5 0.55
7 0.7 0.5 0.60
8 0.8 0.525 0.60
9 0.9 0.55 0.70
s.no Applied voltage(v) Forward voltage(v) Forward
current(ma)
10 1.0 0.55 0.75
11 1.5 0.55 1.25
12 2.0 0.60 2.0
13 2.5 0.60 2.5
14 3.0 0.65 3.0
15 4.0 0.65 4.0
16 5.0 0.7 5.0
17 6.0 0.7 6.0
18 7.0 0.75 7.0
19 8.0 0.80 8.0
20 9.0 0.80 9.0
21
22
23
 s.no Applied voltage(v) Reverse bias Reverse
Reverse bias:
voltage(v) current(ua)
1 0 0 0
2 0.5 0.5 20.9
3 1.0 1.0 35.9
4 1.5 1.5 53.6
5 2.0 2.0 70.2
6 2.5 2.5 84.4
7 3.0 3.0 104.6
8 3.5 3.5 114..6
9 4.0 4.0 139.5
10 4.5 4.5 159.4
11 5.0 5.0 179.3
12 5.5 5.5 189.5
13 6.0 6.0 200
14 6.5 6.5 212.7
15 7.0 7.0 231.7
16 7.5 7.5 247.8
17 8.0 8.0 262.1
s.no Applied voltage(v) Reverse bias Reverse bias
voltage(v) current(ua)
21 10 10 320
22 10.5 10.25 343.7
23 11 10.5 360.1
24 11.5 11 375.7
25 12 11.5 392.4
26 12.5 12 406
27 13 12.5 424
28 13.5 13 440
29 14 13.5 457
30 14.5 14 473
31 15 14.5 488
32 15.5 15 506
33 16 15.5 521
V-I characteristics of P-N junction diode in forward bias
Vi characteristics of PN junction diode
RESULT
Thus the VI characteristic of PN junction diode is verified.
1. Cut-in voltage = ____0.45v__for forward bias____________