Majority and Minority Carriers

Majority Carriers
– The majority carriers in n-type materials are
electrons.
– The majority carriers in p-type materials are
holes.

• Minority Carriers

– The minority carriers in n-type materials are

holes.
– The minority carriers in p-type materials are
electrons.

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 p-n Junctions
• One end of a silicon or germanium
crystal can be doped as a p-type
material and the other end as an n-
type material.
• The result is a p-n junction.

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 p-n Junction

The result is the formation of a depletion region

around the junction.

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 p-n Junction

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 p-n Junction

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 Diodes
The diode is a 2-terminal device.

A diode ideally conducts in only one direction.

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 Diode Operating Conditions

A diode has three operating conditions:

– No bias
– Forward bias
– Reverse bias

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 Diode Operating Conditions
• No Bias
– No external voltage is applied: VD = 0 V
– No current is flowing: ID = 0 A
– Only a modest depletion region exists

Electronics Devices and Circuit Theory 10th Edition - Boylestad

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 Diode Operating Conditions
• Reverse Bias
– External voltage is
applied across the
p-n junction in the
opposite polarity of
the p- and n-type materials.

Electronics Devices and Circuit Theory 10th Edition - Boylestad

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 Diode Operating Conditions
• Reverse Bias

The reverse voltage causes the

depletion region to widen.
The electrons in the n-type
material are attracted toward the
positive terminal of the voltage
source.
The holes in the p-type material
are attracted toward the negative
terminal of the voltage source.

Electronics Devices and Circuit Theory 10th Edition - Boylestad

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 Diode Operating Conditions
• Forward Bias
– External voltage is applied across the p-n junction in
the same polarity as the p- and n-type materials.

Electronics Devices and Circuit Theory 10th Edition - Boylestad

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 Diode Operating Conditions
• Forward Bias

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 Diode Characteristics
Conduction Non-Conduction
Region Region

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 Actual Diode Characteristics

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 Zener Region

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 Forward Bias Voltage

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 Temperature Effects

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 IDEAL VERSUS PRATICAL

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 Resistance Levels

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 DC (Static) Resistance

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 AC (Dynamic) Resistance

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 Average AC Resistance

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 Diode Equivalent Circuit

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 Diode Capacitance

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 Reverse Recovery Time (trr)

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Diode Specification Sheets

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Diode Symbol and Packaging

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 Other Types of Diodes
• Zener diode
• Light-emitting diode
• Diode arrays

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 Zener Diode

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Light-Emitting Diode (LED)

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 Diode Arrays

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