DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
NAME : P.KUMAR BABU.
DESIGNATION : LECTURER IN E.C.E.
BRANCH : ELECTRONICS& COMM. Engg.
INSTITUTE : G.P.W, SURYAPET.
YEAR/SEMESTER : III Sem
SUBJECT : ELECTRONICS-I.
SUB.CODE : EE-305.
TOPIC : SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES.
DURATION : 50 min.
SUB.TOPIC : WORKING OF PN-JUNCTION DIODE

UNDER NO BIAS,FORWARD AND

REVERSE BIASES.
TEACHING AIDS : PPT,ANIMATION,PICTURES.
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RECAP

• How the pn-junction is formed in a diode.

• What is importance of depletion region.

• Which carriers conduct forward current in a diode.

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• Roughly how much forward voltage is needed to cause
current to flow in silicon and germanium pn-junctions.

• When we are not biasing will the pn-junction diode

conducts.

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OBJECTIVES

Up on completion of this topic the student will be

able to know

• How to forward bias the diode, under forward biasing

how the diode works.

• How to reverse bias the diode, under reverse biasing

how the diode works.

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PN-JUNCTION FORWARD BIAS

+ -
FIGURE
5.1

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PN-JUNCTION FORWARD BIAS

+ -

FIGURE 5.2

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PN-Junction with forward Bias

• Positive terminal of the battery is connected to anode and

negative terminal is connected to the cathode.

• Increasing the applied voltage the potential barrier decreases.

• Potential barrier disappears when applied voltage exceeds

barrier potential.

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• The resistance of junction becomes nearly zero and
current starts flowing in the junction.

• Now the current increases sharply with increase in

applied voltage.

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PN-JUNCTION REVERSE BIAS
FIGURE 5.3

- +

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PN-JUNCTION REVERSE BIAS

- +

FIGURE 5.4

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PN-JUNCTION WITH REVERSE BIAS

• Negative terminal of the battery is connected to the anode

and positive terminal is connected to the cathode.

• The resistance is very high in the order of mega ohms.

• Current is almost zero in reverse bias.

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• Small reverse leakage current flows due to minority carriers
present in P & N regions.

• Reverse voltage exceeds breakdown voltage the conductivity of

the junction rapidly increases causing the diode goes to
damage.

• Operate the diode below break down voltage.

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Zener breakdown:
When reverse bias is increased, the electric
field at the junction also increases.

High electric field causes covalent bonds to break.

Thus a large number of carriers are generated. This

causes a large current to flow.

This mechanism of breakdown is zener breakdown.

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Avalanche breakdown:
The increased electric field causes increase in the
velocities of minority carriers.

These high energy carriers break covalent bonds,

thereby generating more carriers.

These generated carriers are accelerated by the electric

field.

They break more covalent bonds during their travel.

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A chain reaction is thus established, creating a large
number of carriers.

This gives rise to a high reverse current.

This mechanism of breakdown is avalanche breakdown.

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V-I Characteristics of Diode

I (mA)

V(volts) V(volts)

I ( µA)

FIGURE 5.5

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• When applied forward voltage exceeds the cut-in or knee
voltage of diode the diode conducts.

• Small increase in applied forward voltage there is a large

amount of current increases in the diode.

• Under reverse bias of diode small of amount current

flows due to minority carriers. µA in Ge and nano
amperes in Si.

• When applied voltage is greater than reverse breakdown

voltage junction breakdown and current increases
abruptly.

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SUMMARY

We have discussed about

• Forward biasing of diode

• Reverse biasing of diode

• Avalanche and zener breakdowns.

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 QUIZ
When we apply reverse bias to a junction diode, it
(a) Decreases the potential barrier

(c) Increases the potential barrier

(e) Greatly increases the minority carrier current

(g) Greatly increases the majority carrier current

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2. When forward bias is applied to a junction diode, it

(a) Increases the potential barrier

(c) Decreases the potential barrier

(e) Reduces the majority carrier current to zero

(g) Reduces the minority carrier current to zero

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3. The reverse saturation current in a junction diode is

the current that flows when

(a) Only majority carriers are crossing the junction

(c) Only minority carriers are crossing the junction

(e) The junction is unbiased

(g) The potential barrier is zero

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 Frequently asked questions

• 1) Discuss the behavior of PN junction under forward

biasing

• 2) Explain the working of PN junction diode under

reverse biasing

• 3) Define avalanche and zener break down

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