Effects of Temperature On Diode Applications

THE IMPACT OF
HEAT IN DIODE
APPLICATIONS
WHAT ARE DIODES?
 Diodes are semi-conductor devices that have two electrical check valves which is
the anode and cathode that allow the flow of current in one direction.
 They are usually made of silicon but germanium can also be used to create
diodes.
DIODE OPERATION
 As mentioned, a diode is made from a small piece of semi-conductor material

usually silicon, in which half is doped as a P-region and half is doped as an N-
region and a p-n junction and depletion region in between.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

The current that a PN junction
diode can conduct at a given
voltage depends on the
temperature.
REASON
 The impact of heat will increase temperature which will result in increased
number of majority and minority carriers due to an increase in the number of
broken bonds(covalent bonds).
Majority carriers: the most abundant charge carrier in a semiconductor.
Minority carriers: the least abundant charge carrier in a semiconductor.
 This amounts to a diode current larger than its previous diode current. The above
phenomenon applies to both forward and reverse current.
 The forward voltage drop changes to about 2mv per degree Celsius across a
limited temperature range.
The diagram below shows the effects of increased temperature
on the characteristics curve of a PN junction diode.
 Itmay be noted that the forward characteristics
shifts upwards with increase in temperature.
 On the other hand, the reverse characteristics shifts
downwards with increase in temperature
IMPACT OF HEAT ON SOME
SELECTED DIODES
How are LEDs affected by heat?
 In general, the cooler the environment, the higher an LED's light output will be. Higher temperatures generally
reduce light output. In warmer environments and at higher currents, the temperature of
the semiconducting element increases. The light output of an LED for a constant current varies as a function of
its junction temperature. Figure 9 shows the light output of several LEDs as a function of junction temperature.
The temperature dependence is much less for InGaN LEDs (e.g., blue, green, white) than for AlGaInP LEDs
(e.g., red and yellow).
Relative light output of red, blue and phosphor-converted white LEDs
as a function of the junction temperature.
 Most LED manufacturers publish curves similar to those in Figure 9 for their products, and the precise
relationships for various products will be different. It is important to note that many of these graphs show light
output as a function of junction temperature and not ambient temperature. An LED operating in an ambient
environment at normal room temperature (between 20°C and 25°C) and at manufacturer-recommended currents
can have much higher junction temperatures, such as 60°C to 80°C. Junction temperature is a function of:
• ambient temperature
• current through the LED
• amount of heat sinking material in and around the LED
How are photo diodes affected by heat?
 A photodiode is a semiconductor p-n junction device that converts light into

an electrical current. The current is generated when photons are absorbed in the
photodiode. Photodiodes may contain optical filters, built-in lenses, and may have
large or small surface areas. Photodiodes usually have a slower response time as
their surface area increases. The common, traditional solar cell used to generate
electric solar power is a large area photodiode.
 A photodiode is a PIN structure or p–n junction. When a photon of sufficient
energy strikes the diode, it creates an electron–hole pair. This mechanism is also
known as the inner photoelectric effect. If the absorption occurs in the
junction's depletion region, or one diffusion length away from it, these carriers are
swept from the junction by the built-in electric field of the depletion region.
 So it’s pre-evident that the application of heat will significantly increase the
conductivity of a photo diode.
Summary
Heat has a significant impact on diode applications.
Increase in heat energy causes a correspondent increase in
current conduction in a diode due to increase in minority and
majority carriers.
THANK YOU…
Group 5
Sarsah Frederick
Mensah Seth
Otabil William
Melfah Anthony
Torfick Etuaful
Alornyo Joses
Baidoo Araba Oduma

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THE IMPACT OF

 As mentioned, a diode is made from a small piece of semi-conductor material

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

 A photodiode is a semiconductor p-n junction device that converts light into

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