Chapter 1- Semiconductor Diodes

Electronics

The branch of physics concerned with the behavior and application of electric charge carriers in components, devices, and systems.

Electronics Engineering

An engineering discipline that utilizes linear/non-linear and passive/active electronic components to design circuits, devices, and systems.

Conductor

A material in which the electrons are mobile and support a flow of electric charge.

Insulator

A material that prevents electrical currents from flowing and offers a very low level of conductivity.

Semiconductor

A material that has conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator.

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outer shell of an atom which determine its chemical properties.

Covalent Bonding

The bonding of atoms strengthened by the sharing of electrons.

Intrinsic Carriers

Free electrons in a material due only to natural causes such as light energy or thermal energy.

Extrinsic Materials

Semiconductors that have been altered significantly by the addition of impurity atoms through a process called doping.

N-type Materials

Semiconductor materials created by introducing impurity elements with five valence electrons.

P-type Materials

Semiconductor materials formed by doping with impurity atoms having three valence electrons.

Depletion Region

The region at the p-n junction where excess conduction band electrons on the n-type side are attracted to valence band holes on the p-type side.

Diode Operating Conditions

The conditions under which a semiconductor diode operates: no bias, reverse bias, and forward bias.

Forward Bias Voltage

The point at which the diode changes from a no-bias condition to a forward-bias condition.

Reverse Recovery Time (trr)

The time required for a diode to stop conducting once it is switched from forward bias to reverse bias.

Zener Diode

A type of diode that operates in reverse bias at a specified Zener voltage, allowing it to regulate voltage.

Light-Emitting Diode (LED)

A diode that emits light when energized, through a process called electroluminescence.

Doping

The process of adding impurity atoms to a semiconductor material to alter its characteristics.

Peak Inverse Voltage (PIV)

The maximum reverse-bias potential that can be applied to a diode before entering the Zener region.

Thermal Voltage (Vt)

Defined by the equation Vt = kT/q, where k is Boltzmann’s constant, T is temperature in Kelvins, and q is electron charge.