Addis Ababa University

Addis Ababa Institute of Technology

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department

Laboratory Report
Course No: - ECEg 2205
Experiment No: - 2

Title:
Semiconductor Diode Characteristics

By: Bazen Gashaw

Group: -
Date of Experiment: 10-November-2011
Date of Submission: 17-November-2011
Objective
(1) To determine the V-I characteristics of a junction diode;
(2) To verify the Boltzmann diode equation experimentally;
(3) To observe an oscillogram of the characteristics of a zener diode;

Equipment used
No. Description Code/Lab Reference Quantity
1. Low Voltage DC Power Supply AAUT-08-1675 1
2. AC Power Supply AAUT-08-1795 1
3. DC Current Meter AAUT-08-1667 1
4. Dual Channel Oscilloscope AAUT-08-1244 1

Component Used
No. Description Type Quantity
1. Rectifier Diode 1N4001 2
2. Zener Diode 1N4735 1
3. Resistor 4.7Ω 1
4. Resistor 39Ω 1
5. Resistor 180Ω 1
6. Resistor 1Ω 1
Theory
Diode

In electronics, a diode is a type of two-terminal electronic component with a

nonlinear current–voltage characteristic. A semiconductor diode, the most
common type today, is a crystalline piece of semiconductor material connected
to two electrical terminals. A vacuum tube diode (now rarely used except in
some high-power technologies) is a vacuum tube with two electrodes: a plate
and a cathode.

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). Thus, the diode can be thought of
as an electronic version of a check valve. This unidirectional behavior is called
rectification, and is used to convert alternating current to direct current, and to
extract modulation from radio signals in radio receivers.

However, diodes can have more complicated behavior than this simple on–off
action. Semiconductor diodes do not begin conducting electricity until a certain
threshold voltage is present in the forward direction (a state in which the diode
is said to be forward biased). The voltage drop across a forward biased diode
varies only a little with the current, and is a function of temperature; this effect
can be used as a temperature sensor or voltage reference.

Semiconductor diodes have nonlinear electrical characteristics, which can be

tailored by varying the construction of their P–N junction. These are exploited
in special purpose diodes that perform many different functions. For example,
diodes are used to regulate voltage (Zener diodes), to protect circuits from high
voltage surges (Avalanche diodes), to electronically tune radio and TV receivers
(varactor diodes), to generate radio frequency oscillations (tunnel diodes, Gunn
diodes, IMPATT diodes), and to produce light (light emitting diodes). Tunnel
diodes exhibit negative resistance, which makes them useful in some types of
circuits.

Diodes were the first semiconductor electronic devices. The discovery of

crystals' rectifying abilities was made by German physicist Ferdinand Braun in
1874. The first semiconductor diodes, called cat's whisker diodes, developed
around 1906, were made of mineral crystals such as galena. Today most diodes
are made of silicon, but other semiconductors such as germanium are sometimes
used.
Semiconductor diodes

A modern semiconductor diode is made of a crystal of semiconductor like

silicon that has impurities added to it to create a region on one side that contains
negative charge carriers (electrons), called n-type semiconductor, and a region
on the other side that contains positive charge carriers (holes), called p-type
semiconductor. The diode's terminals are attached to each of these regions. The
boundary within the crystal between these two regions, called a PN junction, is
where the action of the diode takes place. The crystal conducts a current of
electrons in a direction from the N-type side (called the cathode) to the P-type
side (called the anode), but not in the opposite direction. However, conventional
current flows from anode to cathode in the direction of the arrow (opposite to
the electron flow, since electrons have negative charge).

Another type of semiconductor diode, the Schottky diode, is formed from the
contact between a metal and a semiconductor rather than by a p–n junction.

Zener diode

A Zener diode is a special kind of diode which allows current to flow in the
forward direction in the same manner as an ideal diode, but will also permit it to
flow in the reverse direction when the voltage is above a certain value known as
the breakdown voltage, "Zener knee voltage" or "Zener voltage." The device
was named after Clarence Zener, who discovered this electrical property.

A conventional solid-state diode will not allow significant current if it is

reverse-biased below its reverse breakdown voltage. When the reverse bias
breakdown voltage is exceeded, a conventional diode is subject to high current
due to avalanche breakdown. Unless this current is limited by circuitry, the
diode will be permanently damaged due to overheating. In the case of a large
forward bias (current in the direction of the arrow); the diode exhibits a voltage
drop due to its junction built-in voltage and internal resistance. The amount of
the voltage drop depends on the semiconductor material and the doping
concentrations.
Procedure
A. Determination of static characteristics

1. First, the terminals of the diode were determined using a low voltage DC
power supply to observe when the resistance of the diode is greater, so as
to know the diode’s terminal.
2. The circuit shown below was then constructed.

3. After that the voltage was increased slowly so as to record the VTVM
readings for forward currents 1.0, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 16, 25, 40, 60, 80, 100,
160, 250, 400, 600 mA. The current was not intended to exceed 1A under
any circumstances.
4. Finally the voltage was reduced to zero, and the diode terminal was
reversed only in the circuit, so as to record the current for reverse bias
voltage of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10V using a suitable µA range.

B. Observation of Oscillogram of Zener Diode Characteristics

1. First the circuit shown below was first constructed.

2. After that the circuit was energized with Es in its minimum range.
3. The wave form of Es (VAG) and VAE was observed and recorded with the
oscilloscope in the DC mode.
4. Then the CRO was set up in the x-y mode, connecting point F to the Y-
input and point E to the X-input, while point G is grounded. Both X and
Y inputs were positioned in the DC input position.
5. After that the circuit was checked and ES was increased to 4 Vrms.
6. Then the X- scale was set on 1V/ div, and the Y-scale on 20mV/div and
the complete display was sketched.
7. Next the X- scale was set on 0.1 V/div, and the Y-scale on 10mV/div.
The positive part of the display was centered and plotted on a millimeter
paper using enough points.
8. Continuing, the X- scale was set back to 1V/div, and the Y- scale to
20mV/div. Es was set at 6 Vrms and the complete display was sketched.
9. Finally the Y- scale was expanded to 10mV/div and the negative part of
the Zener diode characteristics was sketched.
Result
A. Determination of Static Characteristics

1. In the determination of the terminals, it was possible to determine the

forward and reverse direction as a result of the forward direction has a
very small resistance as compared to the reverse direction.
2. Increasing E very slowly to acquire the specified current, the following
values were acquired.

Current (mA) 1.0 2 3 4 6 10 16 25

Voltage (V) 0.48 0.51 0.52 0.53 0.55 0.57 0.585 0.6

Current (mA) 40 60 80 100 160 250 400 600

Voltage (V) 0.62 0.63 0.64 0.65 0.67 0.69 0.71 0.73

3. It was required to record the current for the reverse bias voltage. But the
leakage current was so small that the device we use to measure the
current was unable to show any value which is approximately zero.

B. Observation of Oscillogram of Zener Diode Characteristics

1. If we supply a certain voltage Es (VAG), according to the calculation made
above, when the voltage VAG and VAE are plotted, they will look like the
two diagrams shown below respectively.

VAG
VAE

2. By connecting point F to the Y- input and ground G, it is possible to

measure the current passing through the zener diode. Since we are
measuring the voltage across a 1Ω resistor, the voltage will be equal to
the current passing through the zener diode. And by connecting point E to
the X- input it is possible to measure the voltage across R3 and the zener
diode.
3. By setting the X- scale on 1V/div, and the Y- scale on 20mV/div, the
wave form will look like the diagram below.

4. Now setting the X- scale on 0.1 V/div, the Y-scale on 10mV/div and
centering the positive display:-
5. Next setting Es at 6 Vrms and putting X- scale back to 1 V/div, Y- scale
to 20 mV/div, the complete display will look like the figure below:-

6. Finally expanding the Y- scale to 10 mV/div and sketching the negative

part of the zener diode characteristics:-
Conclusion and Discussion
In this week laboratory report the different characteristics of a Diode and a
Zener Diode were carefully observed using different methods. It was able to
determine the V-I characteristics for a rectifier diode, when it is in both forward
and reverse direction. The current through the diode can be measured as:

I = Is[e(v/ƞVT) – 1]

The resistance of the forward direction was also determined to be very small as
compared to the reverse direction, which can be considered as an open circuit. It
was also determine that both a rectifier diode and a Zener have a break down in
the reverse direction. But the break down voltage for a Zener diode is much
lower than a rectifier diode, which helps a Zener diode to act as a voltage
regulator in case of unwanted voltage across a load.

It was also discovered that it was difficult to measure the current for the reverse
bias voltage using an ammeter with a range of milli ampere. But after
connecting the voltage and current to the X and Y input, we can see the
different values clearly by increasing or decreasing the voltage division. We
may increase or decrease the voltage division, but the value of the V-I
characteristics doesn’t with the change in the voltage division.