Name : Gita Setyani Putri

Class : LT 3E
Number : 12
DIODE

DEFINITION AND SYMBOL OF DIODE

A diode is a specialized electronic component with two electrodes called the anode and
the cathode. The symbol of a diode is shown below, the arrowhead points in the direction
of conventional current flow.

The most common function of a diode is to allow an electric current to pass in one
direction (called the diode's forward direction), while blocking current in the opposite
direction (the reverse direction). This unidirectional behavior is called rectification, and is
used to convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC).

MATERIAL OF DIODE
A diode is a two-terminal device, having two active electrodes, between which it allows
the transfer of current in one direction only. Most diodes are made from semiconductors
such as silicon, however, germanium is also used sometimes.

SEVERAL TYPES OF DIODES ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE IN ELECTRONICS DESIGN. SOME OF
THE DIFFERENT TYPES ARE:

Light Emitting Diode (LED): LED is a kind of diode that can emit or produce lights when it
is electrified. When the diode is switched on or forward biased, the electrons recombine
with the holes and release energy in the form of light (electroluminescence). The color of
light depends on the energy gap of the semiconductor.

Avalanche Diode: This type of diode operates in the reverse bias, and used avalanche
effect for its operation. Generally, the avalanche diode is used for photo-detection,
wherein high levels of sensitivity can be obtained by the avalanche process.

Laser Diode: This type of diode is different from the LED type, as it produces coherent
 light. These diodes find their application in DVD and CD drives, laser pointers, etc. Laser
diodes are more expensive than LEDs. However, they are cheaper than other forms of
laser generators.

Schottky Diodes: These diodes feature lower forward voltage drop as compared to the
ordinary silicon PN junction diodes. The voltage drop may be somewhere between 0.15
and 0.4 volts at low currents, as compared to the 0.6 volts for a silicon diode. Schottky
diodes are used in RF applications, rectifier applications and clamping diodes.

Zener diode: This type of diode provides a stable reference voltage, thus is a very useful
type and is used in vast quantities. In power supplies, these diodes are widely used to
provide a reference voltage.

Photodiode: Photodiodes are used to detect light and feature wide, transparent junctions.
Photodiodes can also be used to generate electricity, used as solar cells and even in
photometry.

Varicap Diode or Varactor Diode: This type of diode feature a reverse bias placed upon it,
which varies the width of the depletion layer as per the voltage placed across the diode.
This diode acts as a capacitor and capacitor plates are formed by the extent of conduction
regions and the depletion region as the insulating dielectric. By altering the bias on the
diode, the width of the depletion region changes, thereby varying the capacitance.

Rectifier Diode: These diodes are used to rectify alternating power inputs in power
supplies. They can rectify current levels that range from an amp upwards.

DIODE CHARACTERISTICS
Ideally, diodes will block any and all current flowing the reverse direction, or just act like a
short-circuit if current flow is forward. Unfortunately, actual diode behavior isnt quite
ideal. Diodes do consume some amount of power when conducting forward current, and
they wont block out all reverse current.
Current-Voltage Relationship
The most important diode characteristic is its current-voltage (i-v) relationship. This
defines what the current running through a component is, given what voltage is measured
across it. The i-v curve of a diode, though, is entirely non-linear. It looks something like
this:
 The current-voltage relationship of a diode.

Depending on the voltage applied across it, a diode will operate in one of three regions:
1. Forward bias: When the voltage across the diode is positive the diode is on and
current can run through. The voltage should be greater than the forward voltage (V F) in
order for the current to be anything significant.
A specific diodes VF depends on what semiconductor material its made out of. Typically, a
silicon diode will have a V Faround 0.6-1V. A germanium-based diode might be lower,
around 0.3V.
2. Reverse bias: This is the off mode of the diode, where the voltage is less than V F but
greater than -VBR. In this mode current flow is (mostly) blocked, and the diode is off.
A very small amount of current (on the order of nA) called reverse saturation current is
able to flow in reverse through the diode.
3. Breakdown: When the voltage applied across the diode is very large and negative, lots
of current will be able to flow in the reverse direction, from cathode to anode.
Some diodes are actually designed to operate in the breakdown region, but for most
normal diodes its not very healthy for them to be subjected to large negative voltages.
For normal diodes this breakdown voltage is around -50V to -100V, or even more negative

APPLICATION OF DIODE
Radio demodulation

A simple envelope demodulator circuit.

The first use for the diode was the demodulation of amplitude modulated (AM) radio
broadcasts.. In summary, an AM signal consists of alternating positive and negative peaks
of a radio carrier wave, whose amplitude or envelope is proportional to the original audio
signal. The diode (originally a crystal diode)rectifies the AM radio frequency signal, leaving
only the positive peaks of the carrier wave. The audio is then extracted from the rectified
carrier wave using a simple filter and fed into an audio amplifier or transducer, which
generates sound waves.
Power conversion

Schematic of basic AC-to-DC power supply

Rectifiers are constructed from diodes, where they are used to convert alternating
current (AC) electricity into direct current (DC). Automotive alternators are a common
example, where the diode, which rectifies the AC into DC, provides better performance
than the commutator or earlier, dynamo. Similarly, diodes are also used in Cockcroft
Walton voltage multipliers to convert AC into higher DC voltages.
Logic gates
Diodes can be combined with other components to construct AND and OR logic gates.
This is referred to as diode logic.